Obsession
by Orison
Summary: As she struggles to come to terms with the consequences of the Cruz mess, Faith finds herself in the middle of a dangerous game when a man’s obsession threatens her sanity and her life. -Set in mid season four-
1. Default Chapter

Obsession  
  
Author: Stella aka Orison  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, shakes head the characters aren't mine, but I met Jason Wiles twice so life's good right now...  
  
Rating: PG-13 for now  
  
Spoilers: General knowledge of the series up through season four.  
  
Summary: As she struggles to come to terms with the consequences of the Cruz mess, Faith finds herself in the middle of a dangerous game when a man's obsession threatens her sanity and her life.  
  
Author's note: Hey everybody, I'm back! Well, not exactly since this is not a new story. I was reading some of my old fics the other day and I realized I've never posted this one here. Some of you have probably read it on the other boards, but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. Maybe there's a few newbies who still haven't read it... :)

This is set in mid season four, but I just found out next week's episode is called "Obsession" too...

Enjoy!

* * *

The man sat in his leather chair behind the desk, a glass of bourbon in his hand, and smiled at the picture, his fingers slowly tracing its crumpled edges.  
  
The low light coming from a nearby lamp cast an eerie glow around the room. He propped his legs up on the desk, crossing his ankles, and looked at the clock.  
  
It was almost midnight, and the office was finally silent. No movement coming from the empty corridor, no phones ringing, no hurried voices as young secretaries ran from a room to another.  
  
His hand curled around the glass and he took a sip of the clear liquid.  
  
It felt good to be back in New York.  
  
All that wandering through different cities, never settling in one place for more than a year, only to discover that all he ever wanted had been right here the whole time.  
  
He'd gone to college like his family had expected him to, found a good job, tried to have a family of his own but had slowly found himself unable to carry on the burden of his hollow existence.  
  
The haunting feeling of emptiness had threatened to crush him more than once, until he'd realized he needed to sever all ties with his old self and start again in the only city he'd thought he needed to stay away from.  
  
New York.  
  
Shifting in his seat, he put the picture back in his wallet and shed his tie, leaving his shirt open at the throat, sleeves rolled up. Elbows braced on the arms of the expensive chair, he closed his eyes as his mind travelled back to their last encounter.  
  
He'd been young, naive enough to convince himself that leaving was the only way to escape from the pressure of his daily routine. That she'd have waited for him. They were soul mates after all.  
  
But she hadn't.  
  
She moved on with her life. Without him.  
  
One stupid mistake had cost him the only woman he'd ever truly loved. But that was about to change.  
  
He finished his drink and rose from the chair.  
  
He'd make sure they found each other again.  
  
And then it would be forever.

* * *

Faith Yokas sat on the bench in front of her locker, her eyes downcast toward the floor.  
  
She should've left minutes ago, but somehow she'd just found herself unable to leave the place. Staring at her untied shoes seemed a lot more interesting right now.  
  
The sound of a door opening startled her, and she held her breath as she realized someone was coming in. She didn't need to look up to know it was Bosco, and she mentally kicked herself for not leaving sooner.  
  
She heard him open his own locker and rummaging inside, then as quickly as he'd come, he left. After waiting a couple more seconds to make sure he was really gone, she hesitantly raised her head.  
  
Her chest tightened.  
  
The metal cage was still open, revealing all her belongings inside. Four familiar faces smiled at her from the shelf, memories of a forgotten time.  
  
She looked at the picture as a tear leaked from the corner of her eye.  
  
Guilt, regret, anger. All the emotions she'd refused to deal with in the past few weeks were slowly coming to the surface, and she wasn't sure she was ready to handle them.  
  
They were gone.  
  
As if it hadn't been difficult enough to get her life back after the mess with Cruz, Fred had announced that there would be no more cops in his life, and that he was tired of sharing his wife with another man. Whatever that meant.  
  
She brushed the tear away and cradled her head in her hands, unable to look at those faces anymore.  
  
Bosco. It had all come down to him... as usual.  
  
Images of the night she'd confronted him replayed themselves over and over in her head. Once again, she'd accused him out of frustration and pain, her harsh words forever burned in her memory.  
  
_"Maybe you're gonna be able to sleep at night knowing you've ruined my life but I won't! Think about this, Bosco. Think about it when you're in bed at night. I helped you, and what did I get in return? I lost the only thing that meant something to me: my kids. Hope you can still dream after this!"_  
  
Obviously he didn't know anything about the divorce, and the news had hit him like a ton of bricks. He stared at her open-mouthed, eyes glimmering as he let the words register in his brain.  
  
Faith knew she'd said too much as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She'd never intended it to sound like this.  
  
She'd stood there, unable to move, watching his jaw clench and his hands curl into angry fists at his sides.  
  
He didn't need words either. The lost, hurt look in his eyes had said it all.  
  
She remembered him turning around and slowly walking out of her life. And all because she'd said too much.  
  
She'd been unfair and mean, but most of all, what she'd said couldn't have been farthest from the truth.  
  
As his best friend, partner and undoubtedly the only person allowed to look inside his soul, she knew Bosco rarely dreamed at night, and was lucky enough if he could get a few hours of tormented sleep.  
  
She'd closed her eyes and listened to the sound of his footsteps disappearing down the hallway, leaving her surrounded by a haunting silence.  
  
That had been by far the worst night of her whole existence.  
  
At that moment, she'd realized Bosco would've never been part of her life again.  
  
He was gone. For good.  
  
She wouldn't have another chance to hurt him because he'd never show up at her doorstep again, or ask for help, or even be anywhere near her in the future.  
  
She'd finally succeeded in pushing him away.  
  
Her mind went back to what he'd said in the locker room the day they'd agreed to split up.  
  
_"That's the way you handle people. Keep them at distance as soon as they become a problem."_  
  
The painful realization that he might've been right sent a chill down her spine.  
  
_"You've got a great set up. Things go wrong with the kids, you weren't even there. You got Fred to blame at home, you got me to blame at work." _  
  
His words mixed with the ones her mother had said years before.  
  
_"You shouldn't judge... Stop blaming other people." __  
  
__"...And then there's Saint Faith. The martyr."_  
  
Everybody seemed to know her but herself.  
  
Faith reluctantly rose to her feet and closed her locker, then grabbed her backpack purse and headed outside, hoping the cool night air would help clear her head up and soothe her aching heart.

* * *

Maurice Boscorelli looked at his partner's retreating form as she walked out of the precinct and into the night.  
  
Letting her go had been the toughest decision of his life, and had sure affected the man he was today to the point he barely recognized himself anymore, but she'd made the decision, and he'd vowed never to interfere with her life again.  
  
His mind couldn't still get over the fact that he'd been responsible for tearing apart her family, and seeing her pained expression and haunted eyes day after day was enough to plague him with nightmares every night.  
  
He'd promised he wouldn't ask for her help anymore, told her he'd even transfer if that was what she wanted, but nothing could've prepared him for her outburst that night.  
  
All he wanted to do was tell her he'd been assigned a new partner, and that he was going to make sure she'd never have to go and rescue him from another mess, but she'd immediately confronted him with the news of Fred's decision to leave her and he'd been shocked into silence, unable to utter a word of comfort, a plea of forgiveness, or even a sound.  
  
And now here he was, a shell of his former self, shivering in the crisp night air as he leaned against the side of his car.  
  
Another night was about to begin. A long, sleepless night in his dark, empty apartment.  
  
Bosco wasn't looking forward to it. Not in the slightest.  
  
Maybe a couple of beers would help.  
  
He sighed and got into the driver's seat.  
  
Probably not, but he was going to drink anyway.

* * *

Faith pulled the keys out of her pocket as she stood in front of her apartment door, eyes still brimming with tears.  
  
She was about to slid the right one into the lock when something caught her eye.  
  
A single red rose was lying on her doormat.  
  
She knelt down and picked it up, immediately wondering who'd leave flowers at her doorstep, especially now that her life seemed to be spinning out of control.  
  
She looked around but couldn't see anyone.  
  
_Weird,_ she thought to herself as she shook her head and stepped inside.

TBC...


	2. Chapter two

Obsession (2/13)

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys. I'm glad there's still people who haven't read this one.

* * *

Chapter two

* * *

Faith awoke the next morning to the sun streaming in through the curtains of her bedroom window. The intense light hurt her eyes and she used one hand to shield them, her discomfort magnified by a dull headache.

It took her a full minute to realize something else had probably woken her up. She lifted her head off the pillow and listened, instantly alert.

There it was again. A rap on the door.

Tossing the covers aside, she quickly got out of bed and pulled on a robe before heading out to the living room.

She approached the door and looked through the peephole. A kid with a baseball cap and a gray uniform smiled at her from outside. He was apparently holding something but she couldn't see what it was.

She turned the lock and unhooked the chain, her eyes widening in surprise as he came in full view.

"Ms Mitchell?"

"Y-yes."

"I've got something for you." He said, a goofy grin on his face as he handed her a bouquet of sixteen red roses.

Faith hesitantly took the flowers, once again asking herself who could be responsible for that.

"Isn't there a card or something?"

The kid looked at her with a curious expression. "Nope. Sorry."

"Okay. Never mind."

She went back inside and laid the roses on the coffee table, then reached for her purse and pulled out a few crumpled bills.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Have a nice day, ma'am."

She stood at the doorstep for a moment, not sure if she should feel happy, or pissed, or even scared. Fred and Bosco were the only two men she'd had some kind of relationship with, but neither of them would actually send flowers to her.

She'd never pictured Bosco as the kind of guy who'd do something like that, especially after what had happened between the two of them; and Fred, well he'd filed for divorce so it was high unlikely of him to make such a nice gesture.

Then who was it?

The thought lingered in her head as she closed the door and walked to the kitchen. After filling up a vase with water and putting the roses into it, she sat on the couch and stared at them.

She counted them again. Sixteen.

Was it a date? She couldn't recall any birthday or other important date falling on the 16th . That was definitely weird.

Suddenly realizing she was gonna be late for work, Faith eased herself off the couch and hurried down the hall to take a shower and get dressed.

Her mysterious lover could wait.

* * *

I watch as you cross the street and head to the subway station and from the small smile that curves your lips I can tell you got my little present.

I wish I could've given it to you myself, see the flicker of joy and confusion on your face, but this will have to wait.

They say patience is a virtue, and I've learned it the hard way during the last 16 years of my senseless life. I will reveal myself to you. Just not now.

The sun is blazing in the sky, stretching its rays all over the city. It's a hot day, and you lift up a hand to wipe the beads of sweat from your forehead.

God, you're so beautiful.

That idiot Fred must be out of his mind. A divorce. What a waste. The guy's obviously stupider than I ever gave him credit for.

I should thank him though. That's the chance I was waiting for.

_Mors tua, vita mea_, the Latins said.

Bye bye, Freddie. My turn now.

You stop, looking at your reflection in a shop window. Standing straighter, you fix your hair, pulling them back into a ponytail.

A woman stops right in front of me and reaches for her cell phone, blocking my line of sight for a moment with her large body. I'm tempted to scream at her to get the hell out of the way but then I spot you again, climbing down the stairs and slowly disappearing from my sight.

Hope you have a nice day, my love. I'll see you tonight. Got another little surprise for when you get back.

* * *

"Hey, wanna grab a drink?"

"What? No thanks, Davis. It's been a rough day, I just wanna go home."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Sure."

Faith was out the door in a matter of minutes. She felt bad for turning down Davis' offer, well aware sooner or later they'd just stop asking her, but Bosco was probably going to be there, and facing him was the last thing she wanted to do. Trying to avoid him all day was enough.

She just couldn't stand to see the hurt in his eyes.

He'd changed so much over the last couple of months. First Cruz, then the shootout in that hotel room and her little scene to top it all.

The hot-headed cop was gone, and she wasn't sure she liked the man who'd replaced him.

Pulling her jacket closer, she walked out of the parking lot, her gaze briefly fixing on his blue Mustang before disappearing around the corner.

* * *

Riding the subway at midnight is usually quiet, and Faith was always grateful for that, but not today. Sitting in an almost deserted car gave her thoughts enough space to float around when all she wished was to keep them at bay.

As she unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside fifteen minutes later, she felt the familiar headache settling in.

_Great_, she thought to herself.

She turned on the lights and spotted a white envelope on the floor. Someone must've slipped it through the door.

Casting an involuntary glance at the red roses on the coffee table, she picked it up, holding it in her hands for a moment as she debated whether to open it or not.

_Get a hold of yourself, girl. You're a cop._

With a swift move, she slid her finger under one side of the envelope and tore it open, revealing a folded slip of paper inside.

Still standing in the doorway, she could feel her heart start to beat faster. Her cop training kicked in, instructing her to carefully scan the paper, though she technically still had no reason to worry about it.

Neat italic writing, black ink. The message was short but immediately got her attention.

_I hope you liked the roses._

_Their beauty's nothing compared to yours but take them as a token of my affection._

_I'll see you soon._

Faith stared at the letter for the longest time, reading the words over and over again.

Someone was sending her flowers... someone who knew her well enough to leave a message on her doorstep.

The thoughts swirling in her mind only made her headache worse.

_I'm not gonna lose my sleep over this_, she said as she crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it in the trashcan.

TBC...


	3. Chapter three

**Obsession (3/13)**

* * *

Chapter three

* * *

It's funny how time seems to stand still when you don't know what to do with your life. Minutes stretch into hours, hours slowly turn into days, but you still feel as miserable as before.

In the following two days, Faith realized just how much she'd underestimated her old, predictable life. She missed her kids, but most of all that false sense of security that a family gives you.

Coming home to an empty apartment after working not to cross her ex best friend's path for eight hours had left her emotionally drained, and she'd always wondered over the years how he'd managed not to lose his sanity.

But then again, maybe the new Bosco had already lost it, along with the spark that once lit his blue eyes.

All she wanted to do was fix herself a sandwich and crawl into bed, only to wake up to the same problems the next morning and start it all over again.

The hallway seemed longer than ever as her feet tiredly pounded on the pavement.

_When did this mess become my life?_ She asked herself, absently sorting through a pile of mail until a hand-delivered letter caught her attention.

She recognized the writing immediately. It was the same creep who'd sent her the roses and the other letter two days before.

_He's watching me_, was the first thought on her mind as a feeling of uneasiness settled into her stomach.

She reached for her keys and opened the door to her apartment, quickly kicking it shut behind her and turning the lock.

A tremble of fear coursed through her body and she shivered as if the temperature in the place had suddenly dropped below zero.

She took a few steps forward and sat down on the couch, her coat and purse still on. Careful not to wipe away any fingerprints that this person might have left, she opened the letter and read the message:

_You look beautiful when you're asleep. _

_I hope you were dreaming about me, 'cause I dream about you every night._

_P.S. Have you ever realized that being dead is like being asleep forever?_

Faith dropped the piece of paper on her lap and looked around. The sense of being watched was still there, stronger than ever.

She stared at the phone. The impulse to call someone was strong, but her rational side quickly dismissed the idea. She'd bring the letter at work in the morning and tell Swersky about it. Then they'll figure something out.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind and she got up, quickly heading towards the kitchen.

She sighed in relief when she spotted the old trash bag sitting on the floor. The first letter was probably still there. She bent down and started to rummage through it.

There it was. She smoothened it and put it on the kitchen table next to the other one, then went from window to window, locking them and fastening the bolts.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

The man slid a cigarette out of the pack in his shirt pocket, resting it between his lips, then got out his lighter and looked up, smiling to himself.

A clap of thunder could be heard in the distance, and a few droplets of rain splashed on his windshield but he kept staring outside.

The light was still on in her apartment.

He hadn't meant to scare her with that line about death, but he'd watched her lock all the windows just a few minutes before and realized that was probably what had happened.

Don't worry, honey. I won't let anything happen to you.

He longed to hear her voice, to touch her delicate skin. The need was driving him crazy, but he knew he had to wait.

He'd seen a change in her over the last few days. She looked sad, tired, clearly unhappy.

Dropping the ash off his cigarette, he glanced at the old picture. He could spend hours just looking at it.

I'm going to put that beautiful smile back on your face, my love. Soon.

When the light in the apartment finally went out, he dropped the cigarette butt out the window and started the car, disappearing into the night.

* * *

Faith was lying on the bed, eyes open, sheets tangled around her body.

She was tired, but not sleepy, and wishing like hell she could erase the last few weeks of her life from her memory.

A streak of light coming from a streetlamp outside filtered through the room and she glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 3:15 am. _If only it was morning already_, she thought to herself.

A couple of minutes later she finally gave up and dragged herself out of bed, feeling worse than when she'd crawled between the sheets at midnight.

Shuffling to the bathroom, she splashed cold water on her face, then walked to the living room and sat down on the couch trying not to think about the letters.

She couldn't.

She turned them over and over in her mind, then got them out and read them again, staring at the words until they blurred.

This man knew her. He'd watched her, probably even followed her around. How long? Was he sitting outside fantasizing about her?

The thought made her skin crawl.

She wasn't afraid of much, but as she lay there staring at the door, her knees pulled up to her chest and a blanket draped across her, she realized she had no one to turn to.

If she died tonight, no one would bother to look for her until she didn't show up for work or to Fred's new place to pick up the kids.

She sure wasn't going to sit and wait for something to happen, but she felt the urge to talk to someone, to be close to someone.

With a shaky hand, she picked up the phone and dialled the number.

"Yeah." His voice was thick with sleep.

"Fred? Fred, it's me."

"Faith?" there was a pause on the other end of the line, and she pictured him running a hand through his bald head and looking at the clock. "Jesus Faith, it's four in the morning. What happened?"

"What? Yeah, I know. I just... I got this letters..."

"What are you talking about?"

She could hear the anger in his tone and shook her head. _Always the sensitive guy. How could I've been so stupid?_

"Faith, listen. The kids will be up in two hours. If you've got something to say just say it, or we'll talk about it later."

She sighed and closed her eyes. "Okay. Sorry."

"I'll see you on Saturday."

"Bye."

The phone still cradled in her hand, Faith lay back against the cushions and rubbed her tired eyes. Calling Fred had been a mistake, but she needed to hear a familiar voice.

She wasn't expecting him to say that everything would be alright, or that she could come to his place if she needed to, but his harshness and lack of understanding had hurt like a slap to the face.

They'd been married 15 years after all. Whatever problem they'd had, she didn't deserve this.

_I'm gonna get through this_, she reasoned. _Even if I have to do it alone._

__

_TBC..._


	4. Chapter four

Obsession (4/13)

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the feedback, guys, I'm glad you're enjoying the story! :)

* * *

Chapter four

* * *

By 3:45pm the next afternoon, the letters had been read by almost every detective in the 5-5, then carefully placed into plastic folders and catalogued as evidence.

Swersky had seemed genuinely concerned, and immediately assigned a couple of them to the case. Faith had been instructed to take the day off and provide the detectives with as much information as possible.

She stood across the room, arm crossed, back against the wall, ignoring the empty chair four feet from her. Her expression was closed tight. She hadn't spoken a word since her superior had left the office.

"So what do you think?"

"What do I think?" she repeated, disbelief in her voice. "Isn't that your job?"

The detective raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "Easy, okay? I just need to know what's going on here."

"Well, what's going on is that somebody's threatening me. Someone who apparently knows a lot of things about me, included where I live."

"Officer, I know this can be frustrating, but I'm here to help." He moved around to the front of the desk taking a seat on the edge, both letters in his hand. "Messages like these are indeed considered a threat. We have to be extremely careful and ensure your safety. Do you understand?"

She slowly nodded her head.

"Now this person says he's watched you. I wonder if he's been close to you in the past. It might be a friend, an acquaintance, or somebody you've met once and forgotten about. Can you think of anybody who might have sent this?"

Faith was feeling more uncomfortable by the minute, and wished the phone would ring or he'd get called somewhere else.

"An old boyfriend, someone you've arrested, that sort of thing?"

"No. I have no idea."

"You're divorced, right?" the detective asked again.

"I will be next week."

"Any chance your ex-husband might be involved in this?"

She took a deep breath. "No. Fred's not a saint, but he'd never do something like that."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

"Okay, that's all for now." He said as he stood up and put the letters back into the folder. "I'd suggest you stay someplace else for a couple of days. If you can't, we'll send a unit over to your building."

Faith nodded again.

"I need to talk to the Lieutenant now. You can wait here, I'll be right back."

* * *

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Bosco's angry words echoed through the hall. He grabbed his prisoner and roughly pushed him up the stairs. "You must be the stupidest jag-off I've ever met!"

His voice trailed off as they passed Swersky's office and he stopped in his tracks, his gaze locking on the woman inside.

Her eyes were closed, her head was resting in her hands in a defeated posture, and she looked like she was carrying the weight of the world all by herself. Fear immediately knotted his stomach, and he wondered what was wrong with her.

"Hey, why did you stop?" the handcuffed man inquired. "You changed your mind?"

"Shut up." Bosco replied, shoving him in the back and leading him to lock-up.

A few minutes later, he was walking back down the hallway. The door to the office was now closed, but he could see Swersky and a couple of detectives inside. Faith was still sitting in the same chair, glancing nervously at the three men and listening to whatever it was that the Lieutenant was telling her.

"Hey man, what's up?" Davis' voice drew him out of his thoughts.

"What? Nothing, I... you know what's that all about?" he asked, pointing to the crowded office.

The young man shrugged. "Beats the hell out of me, but it sure doesn't look good."

"No, it doesn't."

"I'll see you out there, Bos."

"Yeah. Bye Davis."

Bosco glanced at her one last time and then headed outside, worry for his best friend slowly rising within him.

* * *

Faith left the precinct two hours later. It was still 6pm, but she felt mentally and physically exhausted as if she'd worked sixteen hours straight.

Being questioned by the detectives about her private life had bothered her more than she let on, but most of all it was the fear of not being in control that scared her. The knowledge that she had no power to stop this person from turning her life into a living hell.

Suddenly the man was everywhere. He was the delivery guy walking along her street, or the cab driver she'd just paid for a ride, or the homeless man who'd insistently asked for some change.

It felt too surreal, and she had a hard time accepting that it was actually happening to her.

The detectives had assured her they'd do their best to catch whoever was responsible for this, but she knew well enough that they had no lead or proof whatsoever, and all their good intentions alone weren't going to help.

The only thing she'd asked the Lieutenant had been to try and keep the news from spreading around the precinct. She had enough problems without having to deal with her fellow officers' compassionate stares. More than that, she wasn't sure she wanted Bosco to know about this.

Being in no hurry to reach her place and spend another night staring at the closed door, she decided to stop by at Fred's place to see Emily and Charlie, longing for that kind of love and assurance only her children could give her.

She knocked and leaned back against the doorframe, eyes closed, trying to collect her thoughts.

"Hi."

She jumped at Fred's voice, surprised she hadn't even heard him coming.

"Hey. I... I just came to see the kids."

"They're not here."

A wave of sadness washed over her. "They're not?"

"Em's at the library studying for some test, and I just dropped Charlie off at Kevin's."

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see them on Saturday then." She said, averting her eyes as she started to leave.

Fred put a hand on her shoulder. "Faith? What's going on? You don't look so good."

She took a deep breath and gave him a short version of what had happened, realizing as the father of her children he probably deserved to know.

"...They also said I should stay away from my apartment for a few days." She added, looking right into his eyes, waiting for him to say that of course she could stay with them until everything was sorted out, but he didn't say a word. His face was like a mask.

Her own eyes narrowed and she fought to control her anger. "Look, I... I gotta go."

"Hey! What's the problem with you?"

"What's MY problem? Oh, I'm sorry, Fred. I'm sorry if some creep's threatening to kill me. No big deal, right?" She paused, running a hand through her hair. "I'm scared, Fred. And I'd appreciate some kind of support, you know? But I'm not going to get it from you, am I?"

He dropped his gaze to the ground, unable to reply.

"Tell the kids I'll see them on Saturday."

She turned around and walked off, leaving Fred at his doorstep, wondering what he'd done wrong.

* * *

"Hey, you still here?" Detective Stewart asked his friend and co-worker Johnson as he entered the locker room.

"Yeah." The other man sighed. "And I don't think I'm gonna leave anytime soon. I've got this new case you know, top priority. Lieutenant Swersky himself has requested us to drop all our current assignments to work on this one."

"Sounds pretty serious."

"It is." Johnson replied as he stood by the sink and began to wash his hands. "We may be dealing with a stalker, and the son of a bitch's targeting one of our own."

Stewart raised his head, surprised by the news. "Really? Who is it?"

He grabbed a paper towel out of the dispenser on the wall and dried his hands. "Faith Yokas, from the third watch. You should remember her, I think you guys met a couple of times when she was riding with Sullivan."

"Yokas? Sure."

"She's been getting these letters. Kind of creepy if you know what I mean."

"I bet. I hope you'll catch the bastard."

"Yeah." He turned around and gave his friend a pat on the back before heading outside. "I'll see you around, man."

"See ya."

Stewart put his coat on and quickly followed him out of the room, unaware of the officer sitting on the bench behind him, a shocked expression on his face.

TBC...


	5. Chapter five

Obsession (5/13)

* * *

Chapter five

* * *

I stand on the other side of the road, careful not draw any attention, and watch as you come out of your ex-husband's building.

I wasn't expecting you to have the day off, and that's why I followed you out of the precinct. I usually wait until you walk out the door, dressed in your uniform, and sit behind the wheel of your RMP, so I sensed something was different when I spotted the car still in the parking lot half an hour after the start of your shift.

Took me a minute to realize you'd probably told them about the letters. That hurt, but it was partially my fault. I swear I'm going to be more careful next time.

The NYPD doesn't need to be involved in this. And they sure don't know who they're dealing with.

I can tell you're upset. No doubt Fred's been his usual stupid self and did something to piss you off, but the thought that I might have something to do with it sends a rush of excitement through my body.

Something's changed in the way you look, walk, dress. And all because of me.

You look around a lot now, eyes darting nervously from one person to another, biting you lip like you usually do when you struggle to keep your emotions under control.

I'm not worried though. You've always been strong. The type that bends but doesn't break. That's one of the things that attracted me to you in the first place. Makes me damn proud of the woman I chose to spend my life with.

I know you're thinking about me, my love. And I promise the wait is almost over.

One day.

One more day and we'll be together again.

* * *

"Lieu, can I talk to you for a sec?" Bosco asked his superior as he rummaged through some files in the roll call room.

"Boscorelli." The older man looked up and acknowledged him. "If you're asking me to assign you to another partner then the answer is no. Blake's a good kid, you just need to give him some time."

"No, sir. I... that's not it."

"Where is he?"

"He's waiting by the vending machines."

Swersky nodded his head. "What can I do for you?"

Bosco took a deep breath and started to open his mouth, then paused, raking a hand through his short hair.

"Sir, is it true what I heard about Officer Yokas? That she's been uh... receiving these letters and you think it might be something serious?"

The Lieutenant folded his arms across his chest, a sour expression on his face. "Yes."

Bosco's stomach sank. "How, I mean when... what happened?"

Swersky walked over to one of the chairs and sat down. "Close the door."

He did as instructed, then took a seat next to his superior. "What do you have?"

"Slow down, Boscorelli." The man held out one hand to cut him off. "We're not even supposed to have this conversation."

"Come on, Lieu. It's me. I wanna help."

"What exactly do you know about this?"

Bosco leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "Just what I told you. I overheard two detectives talking in the locker room. They didn't even realize I was there."

Swersky shook his head in frustration. "So much for discretion."

"Lieu, what are you gonna do?"

The man sighed. "I'm afraid there's not much we can do right now. I assigned two of the best detectives to the case, but with no fingerprints or other solid leads finding this man is next to impossible."

Bosco straightened himself, moving to the edge of the seat, his right leg bouncing up and down in a nervous gesture. "So what, are you gonna wait for this bastard to make another move?"

"Calm down, alright? I don't want anything to happen to her either. I'm just saying it's difficult to work without a lead."

Bosco stood up and started to pace the room. "I wanna be part of the team."

"Forget it."

"What if he tries to kill her, huh? What if something happens? I need to be there." He said, his eyes pleading for him to understand.

Swersky rose to his feet and walked up to him. "No. What you need is to calm down and focus on your job. She needs to know we're there for her."

"How's she doing?"

A half smile curved the man's lips. "I think you know her better than I do. Always the tough one, trying to pretend everything's fine. But I can tell she's just as upset as we are."

"Will you keep me up to date with the investigation? That's all I'm asking you, Sir. I need to know what happens."

"I will."

Bosco nodded his head. It wasn't exactly what he wanted, but it was something. He turned around and walked to the door, ready to leave.

"Boscorelli. I don't know what happened between you and Yokas, but I think she could use a friend right now."

He nodded again. "Thanks, Lieu."

* * *

Faith stepped inside her apartment building, her chest tight with worry as she wondered what the man's next move would be.

_Am I gonna find another message? _She asked herself. _Or is he hiding somewhere, waiting for me?_

The thought that the two armed cops sitting in the unmarked car across the street would rush upstairs to help at the first sign of trouble partially eased her fear, but it wasn't enough. She knew how these things worked. One minute, a handful of seconds and it'd be too late.

Coming out of the elevator, her eyes immediately searched the hallway, looking for something, anything out of the ordinary. To her surprise, everything was quiet and familiar.

Releasing the breath she'd been holding the entire time, Faith slowly made her way to her apartment, senses alert, ready to jump into action if necessary, yet feeling somehow relieved as nothing caught her attention.

Maybe he'd decided to leave her alone tonight.

Unlocking the door, she switched on the light and paused, once again looking around for any sign of intrusion. She found none. The living room was as messy as she'd left it a few hours before, and a nervous laugh escaped her throat.

_You worry too much, _she thought as she shook her head.

Yet she found herself carefully inspecting every inch of the place before walking back to the living room and taking off her scarf and jacket.

Figuring she was going to stay awake for at least a couple more hours, she went to the kitchen and started to fix herself a cup of hot chocolate when she heard a knock on the door.

A cold chill ran down her spine and she shuddered, the all-too familiar sense of dread knotting her stomach and making her stop in her tracks, the hand holding the mug frozen in mid-air.

Slowly lowering her arm, she put the mug on the counter and jumped as another knock broke the silence.

Her mouth dry and her heart threatening to jump out of her chest, Faith took a deep breath and hesitantly inched toward the door, mentally chastising her self for not locking it a few minutes before.

"W-who is it?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"Faith, honey, it's me."

Relief washed through her as she recognized the old lady from next door. She smiled again at her own nervousness and quickly opened the door. "Mrs O'Connor."

The woman smiled back, pulling her pink robe closer around her body. "I'm sorry to bother you this late, but I was going to bed and I thought I heard you come back."

Faith nodded her head. "What can I do for you?"

"A guy was looking for you, and... and I told him you were probably at work so I offered to give it to you..."

"Give me what?"

"The package."

Faith tried to focus on the woman's words, but they made no sense.

"Hold on, Mrs O'Connor. Who was looking for me?"

"A man. He had a package for you. I'd just come back from the store when he asked if I knew who you were." She shook her head, remembering how stupid she'd thought the question was. "I said of course, son. She lives right next to me. And then I told him how happy I am, how safe I feel having a cop as my neighbour."

Faith was staring at her, a confused expression on her face.

"Anyway, he told me he had something to deliver, so I said I would take it and then give it to you when you got back." She pointed to a rectangular box sitting on the floor. "Is it your birthday, honey?"

Faith followed her gaze and frowned as her eyes came to rest on the beautiful, white box. The hair in the back of her neck started to rise. "Uhm... no, ma'am."

"Sorry I put it down, but I'm not as strong as I used to be..."

"It's okay, Mrs O'Connor. Thank you very much."

She knelt down, her fingers lingering on the blue ribbon on top of it as she tried not to panic. Dizziness swept through her and she reached for the doorframe.

The woman patted her on the shoulder. "I'm glad you found another man, darling. God knows if you deserve some happiness."

"G-goodnight, Mrs O'Connor." Faith muttered, picking up the box and walking inside, locking the door behind her.

_Calm down, Faith. _She urged herself, although her rapidly beating heart told her it was another gift from her mysterious stalker. She leaned on the closed door, the box still in her hands, for the longest time, debating whether or not to call the precinct or alert the cops outside.

Eventually, she felt her knees buckle and let her body sag to the floor.

She'd tried to act like she had it all together, but truth was not knowing what lied ahead, not being in control scared her more than anything, and she wished for the umpteenth time she had someone to turn to.

Faith Yokas, the strong and independent woman who barely needed anyone and seemed to hold all the answer, had turned into one of the helpless victims she saw every day on the job. All in a matter of days.

And her instincts told her it could only get worse.

Stretching her legs out in front of her, she rested the box in her lap and slowly opened it, her stomach flittering in anticipation.

What she saw inside made her whole body still. Her face drained of all color and she closed her eyes, wrapping her hands around her waist defensively as the box quietly slid to the floor, the silk black dress falling unceremoniously out of it.

TBC...


	6. Chapter six

Obsession (6/13)

* * *

A/N: Well, here we go guys, time for another chapter. This is my favourite so far, and I think you'll like it too: it's longer, there's a lot of Bosco in it, and you might even find out who's the man behind it all! :) Hope that's enough to keep you interested so please read it and let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter six

* * *

Bosco sat in the dark of his apartment, staring at the bottle of bourbon sitting in front of him on the coffee table. He rubbed his temples wearily, feeling the low beat of a headache that had never left him alone these days.

The TV set was blaring loudly, but he wasn't listening. The voices in his head were far too powerful, and there was no remote to turn them down.

_'This thing with Faith... Nothing's ever one person's fault.' _

'You haven't spent enough time around me.'

Every night he would take a sip of the amber liquid, hoping to drown his sorrow out, then shake his head in disgust at the man he'd become and systematically put it away until the next evening.

_'Goes down great, doesn't it? Like a little razor blade, scraping away that bile in the back of your throat?_

He wished a real razor blade could end it all, wished that something on the job would happen so Death could take care of what he was too much of a coward to fix by himself.

Guilt can play horrible tricks on the mind, and not even he knew what sort of demons would leap out of his subconscious next.

_'Together me and Yokas are one great cop.'_

Life wasn't the same without Faith, and after ten years of partnership he felt like a part of him was gone and he couldn't speak, walk and act like everybody expected him to. The feeling was suffocating, and he found himself swallowed by it.

_'As long as Faith's all right, I really don't care what happens to me.'_

He grabbed the remote and shut the TV off.

Someone was threatening her. Some psycho had sent her flowers and stuff, and all he could do was watch from a distance and pray that she would show up for work the next day.

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the knees of his rumpled pants.

No matter how mad she'd been at him, or how many times she'd said she didn't want him around, his first thought had been to check on her and make sure she had all the help she needed. Swersky's speech, although honest and caring, had done nothing to reassure him.

He needed to see for himself. He needed to do something, even if that meant spending the night in front of her place.

Pushing himself off the couch, Bosco walked to the kitchen and put the bottle in the cabinet where it belonged, then absently grabbed his keys and headed outside, nearly tripping over the lonely figure that sat hunched over by the wall, knees pulled up, face half-hidden by the poorly lit hallway.

He froze in his tracks and looked down just as she raised her head, startled by the sudden noise.

Their eyes met, and for a moment neither of them could move, talk, or even breathe.

Bosco was the first to recover.

"Faith?" he whispered, shock barely hidden beneath his blue eyes. He was on his knees beside her in an instant. "Faith, what happened?"

She tried to speak but couldn't get any words out so she looked away to keep from answering.

"Faith?" he called again, suddenly afraid of the reason that had brought her to his doorstep.

She draped her arms over her knees and slowly turned her head. Her eyes were sparkling with held tears but she didn't cry.

"He sent me a dress." She told him straight out, like a cop. "The son of a bitch sent me a beautiful, black dress. And you know what's funny? I've always wanted one, but Fred said I had no use for something like that..."

Bosco's lips thinned. His eyes grew darker at the thought of this creep sending her gifts, and he fought to try and keep his anger at bay. "How did you get here? I mean, they were supposed to..."

"I ran out the back door. I don't think they even saw me." She wasn't surprised to learn that he knew about the cops outside her building, and didn't bother to ask why he still cared. Right now, she was just glad he did.

"He knows where I live, Bosco. I... I couldn't stay in that house. But if you'd rather..."

Bosco gently put his hand on top of her and squeezed it. "It's okay, Faith. And I'm glad you're here."

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on the curve of her cheek. His thumb stroked her jaw line as he tried to process the fact that she was really there. After months of isolation and despair, he ached for this physical contact; afraid she was just a product of his drunken mind.

Without another word, he took her in his arms and held her.

Faith felt her emotions swell. Nobody had done that to her in a long time, and at that moment she realized how much she'd missed it. Someone else was finally taking care of her.

Warm tears of frustration slid under her closed lids. "I'm going to die, aren't I?" she asked, a hint of tremor in her voice.

"No, you'll be fine. I'm here now."

She tried to concentrate on his voice. He was telling her that everything was gonna be alright, and although that probably wasn't the truth, she chose to believe him.

He held her until the tears dried, then slowly helped her to her feet, gently leading her inside and sitting her on the couch. She breathed a sigh of relief, as if feeling less scared. Nothing would happen while Bosco was with her.

He went into the kitchen, fixed a glass of water and joined her back in the small living room, handing it to her. "You can stay as long as you want."

"Bos, I..."

"And I'm taking the couch."

Her lips broke into a small smile. "Whatever."

* * *

The man lay in his bed, eyes open. The thoughts swirling in his head made it impossible to sleep.

Images of the woman he'd fallen so desperately in love with kept playing in his mind, so powerful that he'd actually had to stop himself from going outside, flagging down a cab and going over to her place just to sit outside and stare at her window.

The dress had been a great idea, he was sure of it.

_Italian style, best of the best, _the girl at the store had told him with a big smile. _'Your girlfriend's gonna love it.'_

_'Yes, she will.' _He'd replied, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

He remembered how beautiful she looked the night of the prom, and how proud he'd been to be her date. Of course she'd already met Fred at the time, but he wouldn't have given the guy any credit. He'd been wrong.

Two days later, she was cheering for the strong linebacker. A week later, they swore their love would be forever. That's when leaving had become the only option.

She'd seemed genuinely sad when he'd said goodbye, and had asked him to call her as soon as he came back. When he did, she was already married with a baby girl, and had apparently forgotten all their dreams for the future.

He didn't blame her though. He hadn't been sure of his feelings before, but he was damn sure of them now. She was the one, and he longed to spend every moment of his life with her.

A wicked smile curved his lips and he switched on the lamp on the nightstand, reaching for the phone on top of it. He couldn't see her, but he could hear her voice.

His fingers eagerly dialled the number, his heart beating at a faster rate as he waited for her to pick up. With each ring though, the smile faded, his features displaying the growing sense of anger that was slowly taking over.

She wasn't answering. Or she wasn't home.

His jaw tightened, his free hand clenching tightly into fist. _What if she'd left?_

But then again, he'd seen the pain in her eyes as she left Fred's new place so it was highly unlikely that she'd turned to him, and she hadn't had a partner at work in weeks.

_Relax, _he told himself as he lowered the receiver down and placed it back on its base. _She's not going anywhere. And she'll be yours soon._

* * *

In the middle of the night, Faith bolted awake. Her breathing was harsh, her mouth dry and she had a splitting headache.

She waited until her heart slowed down, then glanced around with the kind of hesitancy of someone who'd just come to and didn't know where she was or how she'd gotten there.

The darkness of the night hindered her sight but she eventually recognized the familiar surroundings. Bosco's apartment.

Slowly the memories of the past few hours came back. The fear that had swept over her as soon as she'd opened the box, the sense of violation, the hammering in her chest, the relief as she'd found herself in Bosco's arms.

Tossing the covers aside, she slid off the bed and stood up, the tile floor cold against her bare feet. Walking through the darkened apartment and into the living room, she found him sitting on the couch, staring at the mute TV screen.

"Hey."

Her voice drew him out of his thoughts. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I... I just need a glass of water."

His outstretched legs moved from the coffee table and he started to get up, but she held out one hand to stop him. "I'm just tired not disabled, Bosco. I can take care of it."

He sank back on the couch. "Sure."

_She needs her own space_, he reasoned as he leaned back against the cushions and closed his eyes, but as the sound of glass shattering filled the room a few moments later, all his good intentions were quickly pushed away and he was up on his feet before he even knew what he was doing. The need to take care of his best friend even stronger than the fear of her reaction.

"Faith?"

No answer.

He hesitantly made his way to the kitchen. Faith was standing by the sink, her back to him. Her shoulders were hunched and he could see her hands trembling.

"You okay?"

"Yes." She said quickly. Too quickly.

"I'm sorry, Faith."

"Don't be."

He paused, unsure of what to say. His hand went to his forehead, rubbing it back and forth as if it'd make his thoughts run faster.

"I can't stand this." She said after the silence had stretched on too long. "Someone's taking over my life, and I don't even know why."

Bosco's eyes never left her side.

"But I do know something. I've never run from anything in my life."

"I know." Concern was etched on his face. "We'll find out who's doing this, and we'll make him pay."

"Why me?" she asked as she sniffed back her tears and turned around to face him, working on keeping herself from falling apart.

Bosco glanced nervously toward the floor and stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets, clearly uncomfortable with the question. "Sometimes there's simply no reason why things happen."

He sighed and went on. "You're the strongest woman I know, Faith. You'll get through this."

Her lips curled into a nervous smile. "There you go again. Pity. I don't need pity, Bosco." Her voice had taken on an anxious edge.

"Understanding is not pity."

"It's close enough."

The words hung in the air for several moments, silence looming over between them like a giant, black void. Faith stood there, her mouth suddenly too dry to utter even the slightest sound. Her gaze flickered to him as he slowly crossed the room and took her hands in his.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He whispered.

She shook her head. "You can't promise me that."

"Yes. I can."

"Bos..."

He looked right into her eyes, trying to show her how serious he was. "Listen to me. I'm going to find the son of a bitch who's behind this and he's gonna pay."

"And that will make things better?" she countered, unable to contain the anger in her tone.

If he'd been hurt by her words, he didn't show it.

"Look at what happened with that Skaget guy and your mom. You found him, beat the hell out of him. Did that make you feel any better?"

Bosco didn't say anything.

"That's what I thought."

She bowed her head and looked down at the shards of glass on the floor. "What do we do, Bosco? We make arrests, try to control crime, but we always get there AFTER the facts. How can you promise me everything's gonna be alright?"

Tears sprung in her eyes. "This guy's stalking me. He's invaded my life, and I feel so powerless... I thought I could do this alone but..." She felt the words die in her throat.

Despite the pain in his heart and the frustration that threatened to freeze him on the spot at the sight of his partner breaking down right in front of him, Bosco moved closer.

"Faith, I know it's hard, but you have to believe it. Some people are evil, some will hurt you, but trying to stay safe by being alone doesn't work. Trust me, isolation is not protection.

The words struck her hard, their meaning suddenly so clear, and she saw the shadows under his eyes, the hollow look of a man not sleeping at night. He looked pale. Thinner. He looked just like her.

"Bosco, I'm sorry I pushed you away." She blurted the words out before she even realized it.

He leaned back on the counter, as if the weight of what he was about to say was too much to bear. "I deserved it."

"No, you didn't."

"That night, I... I just wanted to tell you that they'd given me a new partner. That you could stop taking care of me. I swear I didn't know about Fred. I... I wouldn't... I mean, if I..."

He pushed away from the counter and started to pace the room like he usually did when he was tense. "I tried to apologize, Faith. Since that night at the hospital. I... tried to take the blame..."

He was right. She was the one who'd stopped returning his calls, who'd told him to go away. But he was supposed to know better. He was supposed to understand her reasons and still come after her. Only he hadn't.

"Think we can start over?" she finally offered.

Bosco's head shot up and he looked at her like she'd lost her mind, his eyes wide with surprise. "You... you sure you want to try?"

Faith smiled. "Yes."

Without bothering to ask himself if that was the right decision, he walked up to her and took her in his arms. Once again, his stubborn, independent partner didn't protest.

TBC...


	7. Chapter seven

Obsession (7/13)

* * *

A/N: We're getting closer. I'd actually thought about wrapping this up in the next part, but then a new idea popped into my head... :) Once again thanks for all the reviews, it's good to know you guys like it.

* * *

Chapter seven

* * *

"You're ironing."

Bosco looked up to find Faith leaning against the door, a smile on her face.

It was 10 am, and he'd decided to do something useful while he waited for her to wake up. She'd fallen asleep around five; exhaustion finally taking over her body, and had slept since then. He, on the other hand, had barely slept a wink, but he felt better than he had in days. Hell, even weeks.

"So?"

"I'm impressed."

He shrugged. "It's just a couple shirts. Can't really afford to buy new clothes right now but here's the trick: you iron them, they look like new."

Her smile broadened.

"You know Yokas, you can always help out." He grinned.

"Sorry. I think I'll pass."

He picked up the shirt, folded it and put it on the couch. "Sleep well?"

"Better than I expected."

"There's bagels on the table if you're hungry. Coffee should be cold by now, but you know where everything is if you want to make more."

She headed towards the kitchen, stopping a few feet from him. "Thanks, Bos."

He didn't reply, but his gaze lowered and she knew he'd understood.

"So, what do you want to do today?"

She paused, trying to collect her thoughts. She hadn't thought about that. "I... I'm not sure. I mean, I need to go home, pick up a few things, and then I think I should tell Swersky about the dress."

The smile disappeared from her face and her voice suddenly sounded worn out, odd. Definitely not like her own. It was her voice yet she sounded like a stranger….like a desperate woman. But then again, that was probably what the stalker wanted.

"No problem."

He watched her slowly walking out of the room. "Hey, Faith."

She turned to face him.

"What I said last night. I mean it. It's gonna be all right."

* * *

"You okay?"

"What?" She looked around, startled, then realized she was sitting in Bosco's car outside the precinct.

"You look tired."

"Thanks. I worked on it all night."

He turned his gaze away from her, staring out the window. _Great move, Faith. Push away the only person who apparently gives a damn about you. _"Sorry. I just got a headache."

He'd driven her to her apartment, picked up the box with the dress that she couldn't even bring herself to look at, then patiently waited as she regained her composure enough to head back outside.

He'd also insisted that he had no plans for the weekends, and although she suspected he'd actually cancelled them, she'd been too relieved to protest.

"You want me to..."

She shook her head and leaned back in the seat with her eyes closed. _The key to staying sane is keeping a distance,_ she told herself as she took a deep breath. _Keep a cool head and everything will be all right._

Her hand found the handle and she lifted it up until the door clicked open. "Let's go." She finally said, climbing out of the car.

As soon as the doors of the precinct closed behind her back, she felt her confidence quickly leaving her. The other agents were staring at her. She could read their judgements on their faces.

_'Poor soul. Haunted like a prey. God knows what she's going through.' _

_'She's losing it. Hope she's not here to work.' _

_'Wonder if the bastard is gonna strike in here'_

Bosco noticed the change and sensing her discomfort around their fellow agents, he draped his arm around her shoulders and guided her to Swersky's room.

"Bos, I..." she hesitated as they stood outside the room. "I just need a minute. I'll be right back."

"Sure. I'll tell him you're here."

She nodded and disappeared inside the women's restroom.

Resting both hands on the edge of the white sink, she caught her reflection in the mirror and stared at it. She did that a lot these days. Maybe because she could no longer take herself for granted.

_Focus. I need to focus. _

Splashing cold water on her tired face, she summoned up her courage and readied herself for the meeting with Swersky. As long as she stayed focused, determined, she'd feel like her old self again.

She was going to fight. She didn't know if it'd make a difference, but she was going to try.

* * *

I sit on a bench and let the sun touch me.

Someone at the office is probably wondering where I am. I haven't been there in days, but I don't really care. Digital communications can go on, even without me. I've something better to do than staring at a bunch of names and numbers on my computer screen.

My girl should come out real soon.

She always leaves for work at 2:15, and I'm sure I've been staring at her building for almost twenty minutes now.

I'm aware of a faint ringing and realize it's my cell phone. Digging it out of my jacket pocket, I glance at the number. Work. _Still trying to find out where I'm gone, huh? Well, guess what, losers. I'm the boss. I can do whatever I want and right now, I choose to ignore you._

As time rolls by, I find myself eagerly awaiting the opening of her door.

My stomach flitters in anticipation as I slip on my sunglasses. So this is what love does.

Amazing. It's like I'm sixteen all over again.

Thoughts swirl in my head, emotion I'd never thought I'd feel. It's been so long since I actually cared for someone.

My marriage with Deb has been far from perfect, but I'd genuinely thought what we had was special. Turned out it was a big, fat lie; something even divorce couldn't fix, and I had to fix it myself.

_I'm not gonna let that happen again. _I knew as soon as I saw you back in high school that you were right for me. My girl.

The door finally opens, but it's not her beautiful face that I see. An old lady climbs down the stairs, slowly making her way out of the building and down the road.

I glance at the clock. 2:19. She's never this late.

Disappointment rises within me, together with something else I've tried my best to suppress. Rage.

The cell phone's still clutched in my hand. I open it, searching for her familiar number. Something's wrong. _You should be here by now._

Calling her suddenly becomes an urgency more than an option. I raise my arm, push the 'call' button and press the phone to my ear, listening as it starts to ring. Once. Twice. Three times.

The same frustration that had angered me last night takes control of my body, perspiration forming a light film of sweat on my face and hands.

_Where the hell are you?_

The answering machine finally picks up and I move from my spot. She's not home. Again.

A screeching of tires draws my attention, and I turn my head to see what happened. That's when I notice two official-looking men approaching a car with two more people sitting inside parked not too far from my girl's apartment complex.

I'm not sure why my gaze lingers on them but I sit down again and keep watching the scene unfold. The driver rolls down the window and acknowledges the men who definitely strike me as FBI or something similar.

As a businessman, I've seen my share of government employees. They all look the same, with their tailored suits, the high-and-mighty attitude and the perennial smug of someone who thinks he's better than the rest of us.

_Screw you._

Mr. FBI and his colleague lean forward and start talking to the men inside, occasionally glancing behind their backs at something I'm not allowed to see.

Suddenly something clicks in my head. A stakeout.

I'm not sure how it works but I've watched it on TV and I'm pretty damn sure that's exactly what's going on here.

_Bastards._

That'd explain why she's not answering her phone. They probably scared her to death with their theories about rapists and serial killers.

Another car stops on the other side of the street. FBI looks at it, then turns once again and says something to the guys in the first car before walking away, his sidekick following close-by.

Car #1 pulls away from the curb and onto the street.

Car #2 takes its place a minute later.

_Damn._

I totally wasn't expecting that, and I angrily shake my head. I can't believe they're here for me. Why the police always feel the need to interfere with people's lives?

My mind trails off and I think about my girl, wondering where she is.

_They're not going to take you away from me._

Want a serial killer, guys? That's not that hard to find.

A kid tosses an empty can on the ground, and I watch as it rolls right under my feet.

My eyes narrow as the possibilities race through my mind. I can't risk losing her.

The can crushes under my foot. _No one's gonna stand in my way. _

Then in a matter of seconds, I'm gone.

* * *

"You holding up?"

"Still standing."

Lieutenant Swersky looked at one of his best officers with sad, concerned eyes. Finding out about the dress had definitely convinced him that they were dealing with a madman and that they needed a break in the case. Soon.

He motioned for her to take the empty chair next to Bosco on the other side of his desk and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the ever-present stack of paperwork.

"He's escalating." he admitted, his voice grave. "And that means we... you have to be extremely careful."

Faith just looked at him, nervously clasping and unclasping her hands.

"I'm sure there's not many stores that sell dresses like that. Johnson's already working on it, I think we should be able to trace it soon, and hopefully get a description of the man who bought it."

Bosco nodded his head. "What about phone calls?" he asked. "Hang-ups, stuff like that. Maybe he's tried to contact her."

"Good idea. I'll tell him to ask the phone company for records if he hasn't done it yet."

"This guy's smart." The older man continued. "We weren't able to find any fingerprint on the letters, and he used cash to pay for the flowers. The owner said that the kid couldn't be more than fifteen, so I'm guessing he paid someone else to do the job for him."

"I can't believe this!" Bosco spat, rising up from his chair as he angrily ran a hand through his hair. "We're talking about a police officer here. This jag-off should know better than to threaten a cop!"

Faith took hold of his forearm, gently urging him to calm down and sit back.

"Bosco, this man's not interested in me as a police officer. I think that's pretty clear by now. He's going after me as a woman."

He looked at her, wondering how she managed to look so calm and focused when all he wanted to do was close his hands around the man's neck and choke the life out of him.

"So what, we just wait?"

"It's not like that, Bosco. They're doing everything they can."

"I know. I know."

"Faith, I think it'd be a good idea if you stayed somewhere else for a couple of days. You know, just until we figure out how to proceed."

"It's okay, boss. She's staying with me." Bosco replied before she even had a chance to speak. The look on her face was one of confusion, gratitude, relief.

"Good." the Lieutenant nodded his head.

Silence fell over the room for a moment as each of them tried to process the news and come up with some kind of solution.

"I'm sorry, Faith. I wish we could do more." Swersky apologized.

"I know, Lieu. I just..."

A knock interrupted her before she had a chance to finish her sentence, and they all watched as detective Johnson entered the room, a grim expression on his face.

"What happened?" Bosco asked, echoing the thoughts of the other two people in the room.

Whatever it was, it sure wasn't good.

"Miller and Ross." He said, his gaze fixing on the woman in front of him. "They were assigned to Officer Yokas' apartment building. A woman found their bodies a few minutes ago."

"They're dead?" Faith felt her heart freeze in her chest.

"Yes." the detective whispered, his eyes downcast. "Single shot to the head."

TBC...


	8. Chapter eight

Obsession (8/13)

--

Chapter eight

--

"It's my fault."

"No, it's not. Stop saying that." Bosco replied uncomfortably as he dragged a hand through his hair.

As soon as she'd heard the detective's words she'd stormed out of the office, all the courage and her will to stay in control suddenly disappearing at the news that two men had died right in front of her building.

He'd followed her into the locker room, and now they both stood near the door, grateful for the silence that surrounded them.

"Not my fault..." she repeated in disbelief, wiping her eyes as her voice faltered. "How can you say that? They're dead because of me!"

"No. They're dead because some crazy son of a bitch thought he could play god with you!"

Their eyes met for a moment as she registered the words, but the guilt was still too much to handle, and she tried to leave. Bosco stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"Faith, don't." His voice was grave, yet the touch on her arm gentle and caring. "Please don't do this to yourself."

She took a deep breath and blinked back the tears, nodding in agreement. "We need to catch this guy, Bosco."

Her head rose to meet his eyes, a little bit of confidence slowly coming back as she saw the resolve in her partner's eyes and watched his features soften.

"We will."

His hand found the knob and he held the door open for her.

"Come on, let's get out of here. How about we go grab something to eat? There's nothing we can do here anyway."

She gave him a small smile as they headed outside. "Sure."

--

_I can see them. My girl and the policeman. _

I knew she'd be here. Cops are so predictable sometimes.

I remember him from a couple years ago. Italian last name, Boscorelli or something. She said he was her partner.

Well Mr. Partner, where were you the last few weeks when she worked alone? Where were you when I watched her cry after that jackass Fred took her kids away? You don't deserve to be that close to her.

I smile. She's wearing a leather jacket today, just like the one I gave her the night of the prom when she said she was cold. I'd give anything to go back to those days, but my wait is almost over.

_A few more hours and we'll be together again._

The policeman leans closer to say something, and for a moment I can see the old, familiar sparkle in her eyes. I can tell she's comfortable with him, and as they climb down the stairs I can't help but notice the arm around her waist.

_Wrong move, pal. She's mine. _

I left my family for her. Moved out of my own house. Hell, I even killed for her.

He escorts her to a blue Mustang, glancing around as if he's worried about something. They both look nervous, and as he opens the door on the passenger side to let her in I wonder why he cares so much about her.

Cops are usually too arrogant and self-absorbed to even think about someone else. Yet it bothers me to witness this kind of affection and realize that she actually enjoys it.

_Don't you do that again. Nobody can love her the way I love her. No one._

He walks around the car and for a moment as he slides into his seat I can swear he's looking right at me. I'm glad I changed out of my dark, expensive suit to blend in with the New York crowd, and the baseball cap that's pressed into my head makes it almost impossible for anyone to recognize me.

_I'm safe._

My girl and the man she calls her partner leave the parking lot of the precinct, and I watch the car as it shoots across an intersection.

I have no idea where they're going, but I'm going to find out.

--

"Faith?" Bosco called as he sat across the table from her inside a small diner. She'd been staring at her burger for several minutes, obviously lost in thoughts he was afraid to even imagine.

"Faith?" He tried again, his eyes glued to the television screen right behind her.

"What?" she finally asked, scanning his features for clues.

"Isn't that the guy we met a couple years ago? Your high-school friend?"

She followed his gaze and turned around to face the TV set on the far corner of the room. A wedding picture of the man she'd called her first love flashed on the screen, together with the words "Breaking News", and she was unable to contain the gasp that rose up in her throat.

"His wife was murdered." He stated. "They found her car in the river."

Faith was too far to hear what the blonde anchorwoman was saying, but from the banner at the bottom of the screen she learned that the body of Deborah Green had been found just an hour before inside her black BMW. The woman had apparently been shot and then dumped in the river, and had probably been dead for almost a week.

The New Jersey Police Department was still trying to locate the ex-husband, a wealthy and respected businessman who operated in digital communications. The couple had no children and Mrs. Green didn't have a job so no one had realized she was missing.

"God, I hope he's alright." She whispered, shaking her head at what the world had become.

"Yeah, me too. He sounded like a nice guy."

Faith looked down, focusing her attention back to her cold burger.

"You know, I never asked you what happened that night." Bosco continued, a smirk on his face.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on," he grinned. "You and Mr. 'let's do some catching up in a bullet-proof vest'. I was right, wasn't I? He was coming onto you."

A fresh flood of color rose in her cheeks. "I don't know."

"You don't know? You're kidding me, right?"

She took a sip of her soda, her eyes never leaving his side. "No. I never made it to his hotel room."

Bosco's eyes widened. "You didn't? Why?"

"I don't know, Bosco. I mean, I stood there in the hall, all dressed up and everything, and then as soon as I heard his voice on the phone I froze. I think... maybe it was what you'd said earlier, you know. I thought about Fred and it just... it didn't feel right."

"Wow."

"Does that surprise you?"

He shrugs. "No, I mean... yes. So you left because of Fred?"

Faith was silent for a moment. "Yes." Her hands absently traced the edge of the wooden table. " I know it was probably just a reunion between two old friends but still... I felt it was wrong."

_And look where all this consideration for your husband got you, _Bosco was about to reply, but he stopped himself, realizing she was uncomfortable with the subject and decided to drop it.

"You ready to go?" he asked, noticing she hadn't been eating for a while.

"Yeah. Do you mind if we stop at my place for a few minutes? I forgot to grab a couple things."

Bosco rose from his chair. "Of course not." He tossed a few bills on the table. "I'm gonna hit the head while you pay for this and then we're out of here."

She nodded and smiled at him.

"Be right back." he whispered as he walked away, still amazed at how things had changed in the last few hours.

--

_I can't believe it._

My wedding picture's staring at me from the TV screen of the diner, and all I can think about is how in hell that happened.

They weren't supposed to find her this soon. I thought I'd made sure of it.

A flash of rage courses through me, and for a moment I even forget about my girl and the reason I'm sitting in the booth next to her in this goddamned place.

_I should've expected it._

Even from her grave, good old Deb tries to make my life miserable.

Bitch. Always asking for more, stealing every dollar she could get her hands on. The money I made was never enough, and now she's mocking me again, threatening to destroy the plan I've so carefully set.

Looking down, I watch my knuckles turn white and the napkin crumple in my hand.

_I knew I had to dispose of her sooner._

Before the thought that my girl is soon going to realize what happened even forms in my mind, I hear the man's voice.

_'... Isn't that the guy we met a couple years ago? Your high-school friend?'_

So he remembers me. I should be surprised but I'm not. Something tells me this guy's a lot smarter than the other cops I've dealt with in the past.

I hold my breath waiting for her answer, then instinctively lower my head when she turns around towards the TV set. I got enough problems right now to even think about blowing my cover.

_'... God, I hope he's alright.'_

Finding out she still cares about me after all these years is enough to put a smile on my face. I was right. She's the one.

_'... You know, I never asked you what happened that night.'_

His next line catches my attention though I'm not sure why, and I lean back in the booth trying not to miss the rest of the conversation.

My eyes widen. He's talking about me, remembering almost every word that was said that afternoon when my car was hit by a taxi.

_'... He was coming onto you.'_

He caught on. Definitely cleverer than most policemen.

I wished she'd come to me that night. I stayed awake long after midnight waiting for her, but I'm over it now. What is one night compared to a whole lifetime?

Her voice focuses my attention back to what they're saying.

_'... I stood there in the hall, all dressed up and everything, and then as soon as I heard his voice on the phone I froze.'_

The glass I'm so unsteadily holding falls out of my hand, spilling its content all over the table, startling me.

_She was there._

The news takes a couple seconds to register in my brain, its implication shocking me to the core. So it was her on the phone.

I don't know if I'm more surprised that she actually came or angry that she left without saying a word.

_'... It just... it didn't feel right.'_

Instead of being hurt by her last comment I smile again. Always the sensitive one. Always careful not to hurt other people's feelings. Freddie boy has no idea he just gave up on the most amazing woman in the world.

_'... Do you mind if we stop at my place for a few minutes?'_

Realizing they're about to leave, I decide it's time to move as well. As soon as I spot the cop heading to the men's restroom I pay for my meal and get up, buttoning my jacket.

The need to take one last look at my girl is too strong so I slowly turn around. She's playing with the straw of her drink, drawing small circles in the clear liquid. Her hair falls loosely at her side, preventing me from seeing her face, yet I'm unable to tear my gaze away.

_She's so beautiful. So close._

I briefly consider taking her right now, but after finding out about Deb I need to change my plans.

Sighing in disappointment, I walk past her and make my way outside. That's not exactly what I had in mind for tonight, but the thought of my latest gift waiting for her at home is enough to make my loss bearable.

_Soon, my love._

TBC...


	9. Chapter nine

Obsession (9/13)

--

Chapter nine

--

"Officer Yokas, are you alright?" Detective Johnson asked, realizing that she hadn't moved from the spot where he'd last seen her a few minutes before.

"What?"

"Is everything okay?"

Staring at the gruesome crime scene in front of her, she was almost tempted to say no. The CSU techs were still at work in the narrow alleyway next to her apartment building, and despite Bosco's attempts to convince her there was no use in putting herself through that, she'd insisted on seeing the place where the two cops had died.

The bodies of the two unlucky officers had been already sent to the morgue for the autopsy, but she could still see the shards of glass on the ground, or smell the blood that stained the front seats of the unmarked car.

"Faith, come on," Bosco pleaded. "You don't need to see this."

He wore the same anguished look on his face and was nervously shifting his weight from side to side.

"Why, Bosco? Why did he have to kill them?" she asked in a broken voice.

"I'm not sure, but I think he's trying to prove he's in control."

"He is," she whispered, lowering her head. "We got nothing. No fingerprints, no ID, and I'm sure those phone records are not gonna help." She took a few steps forward then turned back to face him. "I can't sit and wait while he kills innocent people. I won't."

Bosco sighed. "So what, you're gonna walk around with a sign that says 'take-me-now-I'm-here'?"

"Yes!" she spat. "If it means preventing him from killing more people then I will!"

Swallowing hard to try and keep the tears from falling, she walked off toward her building, leaving her shocked partner behind.

"Faith!" he called as he ran after her. "Faith, wait up!"

She ignored him and kept going, easily climbing up the stairs to the front door, keys at hand. Bosco quickly caught up and put his hand on the door before she had a chance to get inside.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I just... I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Faith looked down at her trembling hands. "I know." She hesitated for a moment. "I'm not mad at you, Bosco. I'm just not sure I can deal with this."

Taking the keys from her, he unlocked the door and motioned for her to go ahead. "You can and you will."

The familiar sound of the elevator opening greeted them as they stepped inside.

"We will. We're a great team together. This freak's got no chance." He winked at her as his lips curled into a small smile.

She smiled back, grateful for his ability to lighten her mood even in the most stressful situation. _He's got no chance_, she repeated in her head, trying to convince herself it was true.

--

"So, are you doing okay?"

"I'm good. My coach said I'm the best player on the team. He also gave me a new shirt, you know? I'm number ten now."

Faith closed her eyes and tried to picture her son's face as he excitedly told her about his favourite sport.

"That's great, Charlie. I'm proud of you."

She hadn't seen them in almost a week, and Fred had made it clear that she wouldn't be getting anywhere near them until her 'problem' was solved. That had hurt, but in his own twisted way, her ex-husband was right. No need to risk putting her kids through unnecessary harm.

"Mom, why can't we stay with you today? You were supposed to pick us up."

"I know honey, but something came up and I had to go to work."

"But... I miss you."

Her chest tightened so bad she thought she couldn't breathe. How could she explain to a ten-year-old boy that someone was threatening to kill his mother and that there was the definite possibility that he would succeed?

"I miss you too, sweetheart, and I wish I didn't have to work but I promise I'll see you guys as soon as I can, okay?"

Bosco's heart was breaking just listening to Faith's side of the conversation. He was standing in the kitchen drinking a Coke but could hear every word she said, and from the pained expression on his partner's face he could tell this was upsetting her too.

_Fate can be really cruel at times, _he thought to himself as he took another sip of his drink. _And it's always good people who pay the price of his wicked actions._

"Mom?"

"I'm right here, Charlie."

"I love you."

A tear rolled down her cheek and for a moment she thought that she'd never see him again. "I love you too. Be good, okay? I'll see you soon."

"Bye."

"Bye."

The phone slid from her hand to her lap as she wiped away the tear, then without saying a word she got up and disappeared down the hallway and into her bedroom.

Bosco took her place on the couch and leaned forward, burying his head in his hands.

He honestly didn't know what to do. Other than being there for her and offering his support, he had no idea how to make her feel better. He'd never been good at dealing with emotions, whether it was to express them or to comfort someone. He just wasn't the type.

The silence of the room was comforting in its own way, and he allowed himself to slouch down and lay his head back against the cushions.

Then something caught his attention. A sound... no, maybe it was a voice.

Standing still for a moment, he focused on everynoise coming from the apartment, straining to hear something that would explain the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Bos?"

There it was. Faith's voice.

The hair on the back of his neck started to rise as he moved from the couch and made his way to the bedroom.

"Faith?"

He instinctively stopped when he reached the open door, then took a deep breath and slowly peered in.

She was standing a few inches from him, her body blocking his line of sight.

"He was here."

"What?" he felt his stomach drop.

"There's another gift."

Bosco took a step forward and scanned the room, eyes darting back and forth until they came to rest on the nightstand on the left side of the bed. He had been in Faith's bedroom only a couple times, but knew it well enough to realize that the framed picture he was looking at shouldn't be there.

It was actually a two-sided frame, with a picture of Faith he'd never seen before on the left, and a man in a dark suit on the right. He couldn't recognize him because his head had been cropped.

"God..." he whispered. "Is that..."?

"No. It's not Fred." She replied without even looking at him. "I have no idea who he is."

Bosco walked past her to take a closer look at the picture, spotting a folded piece of paper resting at its side. "What is this?"

"I don't know. I... I didn't open it." _I don't want to open it_.

"Want me to do that for you?"

"Yes," she admitted in a hushed voice.

Carefully lifting the note from its edge, Bosco opened it, staring at the message written inside. Faith moved to stand beside him and forced herself to read.

_This is to wish you a good morning every day so you can think about me and what a great couple we make when you wake from your sleep. _

_Soon I'll be able to do that myself, and we'll be together forever. _

_I know you're wondering who I am, but everything will be revealed at the right time. _

_Until then, take care my love._

The words stunned them both into silence, and for a moment no one spoke; Bosco using every inch of his willpower to fight the urge to break something and go find the son of a bitch responsible for this, Faith trying to force the bile back down her throat and suppress the feeling of violation that had taken hold of her.

She moved to stand by the window, then turned around and walked back, lowering herself onto the bed.

"This is my side of the bed, Bosco. How in hell does he know which side I sleep on?"

It wasn't a real question, for she already knew the answer. She just needed to let it out.

"And this picture," she went on as she took the frame in her hand, "I can't remember it being taken, but I can tell you exactly when it happened. Two weeks ago, in Central Park."

She lifted her gaze to his face. "I was alone."

"He was following you." Bosco reasoned, his lips pursed in anger. "I thought it all started with those letters a couple days ago."

"Apparently not."

"We need to get out of here, Faith. God knows what he's planned next."

Swiping back a strand of hair, she pushed herself up, the frame still clutched in her hand. "I can't stand the thought of this man watching me, standing in my bedroom. I just... I just can't."

"He probably took advantage of the commotion outside. They were all too busy with the murders to pay attention to anyone entering the building."

A surge of rage suddenly overtook her and Bosco watched as she raised her arm and threw the frame against the opposite wall. The glass exploded in a hundred little pieces, its noise echoing in the room.

"I'm sorry..." she immediately apologized, staring at the shattered remains on the floor as if she was seeing them for the first time.

"You don't have to. I probably would've done the same thing. The bastard's gonna wish he was never born 'cause when I find him, so help me God, I'm gonna cut his damn head off myself!" He followed her gaze to the ground. "It's okay. I'll clean it up."

"No, I... I can take care of it."

Trying to prove her point, she knelt down and started to pick up the pieces. "Can you, uhm... grab the broom from the kitchen?"

"Sure."

Heading out of the room, he sifted through the kitchen closet until he found what he was looking for. Retrieving the broom and the dustpan, he walked back to the bedroom. Faith was still crouched down where the frame had landed, her back to him.

"Here," he said, offering her the dustpan.

That's when he noticed her closed fist and the drops of blood on the floor. "Faith?"

He squatted next to her and carefully reached for her hand, gently uncurling her fingers. The shards of glass she'd collected from the pavement were still resting in her palm, which now was covered in blood.

"What happened?"

She snapped back from her trance and looked into his worried eyes, then down at the cuts on her hand. "Nothing. I just didn't realize I was..."

"It's bleeding pretty bad. Come on, let's get it cleaned up."

He helped her to her feet and guided her to the bathroom where he washed the wound, removing all the glass, then wrapped a towel around it.

Faith was silent through the whole process, concentrating instead on clearing away the murderous thoughts that were filling her mind. She wanted to hurt this man. She wanted to make him suffer, even if she knew it was wrong.

Sure, they'd probably catch him, but what was she supposed to do until then? Be patient? Tolerant? Everything but frustrated and angry? Not likely.

"Someone needs to take a look at this." Bosco spoke again. "I'm taking you to Mercy."

Again, she said nothing.

She was angry, but there would be no point in arguing, and Bosco had been so nice to her it just didn't feel right to take it out on him like she'd done countless times in the past.

So with her best friend's arm protectively draped around her shoulders, Faith crossed the hallway and followed him out of the door.

--

"That's it. Just give it a couple days and your hand will be as good as new."

Doctor Fields finished bandaging Faith's hand and took off his latex gloves, placing them on the tray next to the bed. "I'll send Mary in with your prescriptions as soon as she's done with her other patient."

"Where's Bosco?"

"I saw him at the nurse's desk a few minutes ago. He was talking on the phone." He replied as he stood up.

"Thanks, Doc."

"I'll see you in a week if you can't have your doctor remove those stitches."

"Okay."

As soon as he left the room, Faith used her good hand to shift her weight on the bed and leaned back. It would probably be a while before Proctor could get back to her, so she might as well make herself comfortable.

The painkillers they'd given her mixed with too many nights without enough sleep were making her drowsy, and she tilted her head to the side, facing away from the door.

Maybe she could close her eyes for a while, just until Bosco came back. And maybe, maybe she wouldn't think about the man who'd brought fear into her life.

--

"Bosco."

Turning around at the sound of his own name, he saw Mary Proctor walking up to him, a small bag in her hand.

"How is she?"

"She's fine. I was about to go in with her prescriptions but I think she's asleep so I figured I'd give 'em to you. You're the one taking her home, right?"

"Yeah."

He took a few steps away from her and looked through the glass at his partner's sleeping form. She was resting so peacefully, and he knew she needed it after everything she'd been through.

He glanced at the clock. Detective Johnson wanted to see them at the station after hearing about the stalker's latest 'gift', but he didn't have the heart to wake her up. Then an idea crossed his mind.

"Mary, do you think we could let her sleep for a while? I can go to the House and come back in less than an hour."

"Sure. I'll keep an eye on her."

"Thanks. Just... if she wakes up, don't let her leave without me."

"You got it." The nurse smiled.

Bosco gave one last look at Faith then walked away. He was doing the right thing, wasn't he? It was a hospital after all. She was safe here.

TBC...


	10. Chapter ten

Obsession (10/13)

--

A/N: Hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas. Thought I'd celebrate with an update... ;)

--

Chapter ten

--

So apparently Mr. Policeman cares about my girl more than he should.

I've followed them since they left the diner, and he's never let her out of his sight. But more than that, I realized that the bond they share is stronger and deeper than I'd first estimated.

Even from a distance, I could see them holding entire conversations just with their eyes, asking questions and providing answers only through the intensity of their gazes. I saw love, respect, trust, a whole range of emotions I've never seen two human beings express before.

_And I didn't like it._

Boscorelli can be a problem. A real, pain-in-the-ass problem that I hadn't considered. Maybe it's time to teach him a lesson he'll never forget.

_All for you, my love._

I think she was upset when she realized what I'd done.

I didn't mean to make her cry but I had no chance. Those cops had been interfering with my work, had taken it upon themselves to make my life difficult. I couldn't let that happen.

That also gave me the chance to slip into her building unnoticed and leave my gift in the apartment.

Standing there, in her bedroom, I felt a rush of excitement course through my body, something I'd never experienced before.

I've wasted so much time in a marriage that me and Deb both knew was wrong that I almost forgot what it's like to be in love. I feel happier than I've been in years, totally in control.

_I feel alive._

My cell phone has been ringing off the hook since that damn picture appeared on the news. Everybody's trying to find me. I briefly consider tossing it into the nearest trashcan, but then I decide to keep it. It might still be useful.

Staring at the small device, I realize that even if the police can't find a way to link me to Deb's murder I'd still be a suspect to them, and that means they're gonna search my phone records. Although I haven't called my ex-wife in months, I'm sure another number will get their attention.

_Damn. I think I've stretched this thing too far._

Weird enough, all I can think about is my girl as I stare at the tall building in front of me. As long as she's fine, I don't care about my own safety.

I remember how scared I was when I spotted them coming out of her front door a short while later and I saw her hand wrapped into a bloody towel.

She didn't appear to be in too much pain for she was walking on her own, but my heart skipped a beat. My girl was hurt, and I could do nothing to help.

Boscorelli had his arm around her shoulders, and a grim expression on his face.

If looks could kill, I'm sure I'd be a dead man by now. Too bad he has no idea who he's dealing with, but he'll learn soon enough not to mess with other people's business.

I've encountered diligent, tireless policemen before but in this case, it seems even more than that. This isn't about duty, about upholding the law.

_This is personal._

He cares about her as a lover, not a partner.

That's why it surprises me to see him walk out of the hospital alone.

I don't know what happened or where he's going, but after all I've seen I know he would never leave her alone if she was seriously injured, so that probably means he's either got a call, or she's gonna be in there for a while.

The weight of the gun that's safely tucked into the waistband of my jeans reminds me I have a job to do, and I follow Boscorelli's retreating form as he inches towards his car.

His pace is slow, tired, yet the determination in his eyes could scare a man a thousand miles away.

Had we met under different circumstances, I'd have liked to get to know him better. He definitely strikes me as the kind of guy you wish was always on your side.

_Know thy enemy, officer._

Reaching for the door handle, I quickly get out of the car. I usually don't like to rush things, but this might be the perfect chance.

Boscorelli stops for a moment, looking over his shoulder as if he's sensed something. I immediately grab my cell phone and turn around, acting like there's really someone at the other end of the line.

_Geez, that was close._

Then debating whether to go after the man or get inside to check on my girl I cross the street, and in the split second that it takes him to unlock his own vehicle, I make my decision.

--

The world slowly came into focus, allowing her foggy brain to concentrate on the smell of antiseptic and the silence that surrounded her.

She blinked, sitting up quickly on the bed.

The dream had been so vivid she still had goose bumps on her arms.

Beads of sweat had formed on her face and hands and she shivered, her body still as she waited for her breathing to become less ragged, for her heart rate to slow down.

Rubbing a hand over her eyes, Faith took a deep breath and tried to shake the images from her brain.

The place she'd found herself in was familiar, but in the near darkness that enveloped it all she could make out was the blurred shape of an old couch and the outline of a window.

Then her eye caught a flash of something, but it was already too late.

It had all been too real: the fear that had frozen her in place as strong hands grabbed her from behind, the harshness of the cement wall as she was forced against it, the numbness at the realization that she was going to die.

Waking up to an empty hospital room, Faith wrapped her arms around her stomach and tried to remind herself that it wasn't real. Still, she felt a slight amount of uneasiness settle in the pit of her stomach.

Sliding her legs off the bed, she slowly stood up.

The pain in her bandaged hand had turned into a dull ache but she ignored it and looked through the glass at the nurse's main desk.

She couldn't remember falling asleep.

Proctor was supposed to bring in her prescriptions, and Bosco... Her body instinctively tensed, and she wondered where he was. His presence had been so comforting over the last two days that she felt alone and vulnerable if he wasn't there.

Mary Proctor looked up from the paperwork she was filling and met her gaze. The woman smiled, then put down her patient's chart and walked up to her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I just woke up." Faith shrugged. From the worst nightmare of my life, she wanted to add, but kept the information to herself. "And this hand is killing me."

The nurse motioned for her to sit back on the bed. "I think I can do something about that."

"How long have I been out?"

"Almost an hour."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's been a slow day so far and Bosco thought you could use some sleep so we kind of kept the room off-limits to anyone."

Faith nodded her head, a grateful expression on her face. "Where is he?"

"He said he had to go to the station for a while. Should be back soon though, so don't even think about leaving this place without him." The woman finished, winking at her.

She smiled back. "I won't."

Mary handed her a small plastic cup with two white pills in it. "This should help you with the pain."

"Thanks."

"Your prescriptions are over there on the table. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything."

Another nurse suddenly appeared at the door. "Multiple MVA coming. We got at least four injured, ETA two minutes."

"Okay." She closed the curtain next to her bed to give her some privacy in case they needed the room. "Faith, I gotta go, but you can stay in here as long as you want."

"Thanks, Mary."

"You're welcome."

_--_

_Perfect._

I stare at the words blinking on my laptop's screen and smile at myself.

It's amazing how much you can do with a computer, how many things you can find if you know where to look, and for once in my life I'm grateful for the hours I spent studying it at school.

My plan's already working, and that proves the decision I made was right.

_They're not gonna find me._

As soon as we're together, me and my girl will leave the city, and with my financial backing there's basically no place that we can't go.

_I can hardly wait._

Turning off the computer, I place it in the passenger's seat next to me and reach for the cell phone again.

This is the last call I'm gonna make from here. You're welcome to trace it, but that's not going to help.

--

_'Hi, this is Bosco. Leave a message and I'll call you back.'_

Faith sighed and put the receiver down.

Sure, there could be lots of reasons why Bosco wasn't answering his phone but in her mind, none of them was good. Her heart accelerated in spite of herself, the hairs prickling up on the back on her neck.

She'd been waiting for about forty minutes, at first sitting down on the bed in her room as she'd been advised to, then walking up and down the busy corridors of the ER, but when the clock read 7:30pm and there was still no sign of him she'd reached the public phones at the end of the hallway and dialed his number.

She just wanted to hear his voice, learn what was taking him so long, but was rewarded only with the metallic voice of a pre-recorded message.

Heading back towards the nurse's desk, Faith couldn't help thinking that something was wrong. Of course she had no proof to back that up, but ten years as a police officer had improved her skills and sharpened her senses.

Glancing at the 'restroom' sign to her left, she decided to follow it. Maybe splashing some cold water on her face would help to shake the feeling away. Her gaze dashed between the door and the main desk, then landed on each nurse, doctor or grieving relative around her.

She had the distinct impression that someone was watching her, and had to stop a couple times to look over her shoulder before disappearing inside the ladies' room.

A few moments later, she was back in the hallway and about to ask someone at the desk if there'd been any messages when a young nurse stopped her.

"Officer Yokas?"

"Yes?"

"I've been looking for you."

Something about her tone caused fear to tingle through her body.

"What is it?"

"Your partner." The woman was wearing a sad expression on her face and kept wringing her hands. "They um... something happened, and they need you to go over to his place."

Faith felt the strength go out of her knees. She swayed, and put her hand on the desk for support as her mind seemed to shatter into a million pieces.

She was right.

Something had happened to Bosco. He was hurt or worse, dead. And all because of her.

"Thanks, I..." she stammered as tears filled her eyes. "I'll be right there."

Then without another word, she hurried outside.

--

"Jane, Officer Yokas around?" Proctor asked as she came out of the room her patient was supposed to be in.

"No, I haven't seen her in a while."

"She left." A third voice joined the conversation.

Mary did a double-take. "What?"

"I got a call, they said something had happened to her partner and that she needed to go."

"Who called? Was it someone from the department?"

The young nurse shrugged. "Yeah, who else could it be?"

Mary Proctor immediately reached for the phone. She knew Bosco well enough to understand that the only reason he would not come back to pick up his partner like he'd promised was if he was physically unable to do it, but she wanted to find it out for herself.

TBC...


	11. Chapter eleven

Obsession (11/13)

--

A/N: Sooo, you're going to find out what Charlie's decision was. You ready? :) Btw, for those who do not know me, I'm NOTa shipper, so you'll never find any hints in my stories.

Enjoy!

--

Chapter eleven

--

Bosco sighed and slid down deeper in his chair.

The meeting was taking way too long, and once again they were coming out if it empty-handed.

Detective Johnson and Lieutenant Swersky had just called a much-needed break to make some phone calls and asked him to stay around to discuss about Faith's safety.

His offer to let her stay in his own apartment had been turned down for fear that the man might be able to locate it. Whoever he was, he sure wasn't stupid, and they couldn't risk losing one, if not two, of their best officers.

That's what Swersky had said.

For Bosco however, it would be a lot more than losing a fellow cop. He would lose a part of himself, something he couldn't even bring himself to consider, especially now that they'd worked things out after the mess with Cruz.

Legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles, he reached into his jeans pocket to retrieve his own cell phone, just to find out that it wasn't there.

He immediately rose to his feet and searched again, first one pocket, then the other. Nothing.

_Shit,_ he muttered.

He wanted to call the hospital to check on Faith and tell Mary that he was going to be late, but the damn thing was apparently lost somewhere.

_Maybe I left it in the car,_ he thought to himself as he turned around and walked out of the room.

"Bosco." The Lieutenant called as soon as he reached the top of the stairs.

"Yeah."

"Care to explain why we got a call from Mercy Hospital asking if you were alright?"

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

Swersky crossed his arms over his chest. "A woman called a few minutes ago. She wanted to know if something had happened to you."

"Was it Proctor?" he inquired as he rubbed the back of his neck, the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach coming back full force to haunt him.

"Who?"

"Mary Proctor. She's a... never mind, I'll call her back." he said, heading toward the front desk and grabbing the nearest phone.

"Bosco, wait, what's this all about?" the older man called. "Bosco!" He frowned in confusion and followed him down the stairs.

--

Faith gave the cab driver a crumpled 20-dollar bill and jumped out of the car without bothering to wait for her change.

Her heart was loud in her chest as she entered the building. The growing sense of panic that had held her in its grip since she'd left the hospital had almost completely taken hold of her, though there was still one thought clear enough to keep her moving: Bosco.

She wouldn't be able to live with herself if something happened to him. She'd already caused him too much pain.

Climbing the stairs two at a time, she finally reached his floor and dug into her purse for the key to his apartment door.

She was so focused on getting inside that she failed to notice the lack of police force on the street and in the hallway that usually appeared on the scene every time a cop was injured or killed.

"Bosco?" she called.

Everything was silent.

She drew in a shaky breath, then let it out and unlocked the door, slowly pulling it open.

--

"She WHAT?" Bosco screamed into the phone, his stomach immediately tensing.

He backed away from the desk, then took a step forward and leaned the upper-half of his body on the counter. "Oh no... oh God no..." His heart began to pound so loud he thought others could hear it.

Swersky frowned, hearing the pain in the young man's voice, and came closer.

"One of my nurses got a call, and this man said something had happened to you. We couldn't stop her" Mary Proctor tried to explain on the other end of the line.

"What'd I tell you, huh? Don't let her leave without me!"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that it wasn't true? I wasn't even there!" she countered. "We had a major MVA, and next thing I know, she's not in her room anymore."

"You should've been there! I trusted you!" he insisted, his hand balled into fist at his side as anger threatened to take over.

"Bosco, I'm sorry, but this is an emergency room. We save lives, and we get backed up. I had no way of knowing that we'd get that call. Look, I'm sure she's okay." Her tone was gentle but persuasive. After years of dealing with desperate patients, upset relatives and angry cops, she was good at making her point without sounding too harsh.

Bosco sighed again and rubbed his forehead. "No, it's... I know, I'm sorry." _It's my fault. I should've known._ "Listen, I... I gotta find her, so I need to know everything about that call. Did she say where she was going?"

There was a moment of silence as Mary weighted the question. "Hold on, I'll ask Carol. She's the one who answered the phone."

Bosco heard a muffled noise as she moved the receiver from her ear and the sound of footsteps quickly shuffling down the hall. He closed his eyes and lowered his head on the arm that was resting on the desk. _This isn't happening,_ he told himself. _This can't be true_.

"Bosco, what happened?" The Lieutenant's voice was grave.

"Give me a sec," he mouthed, holding up his finger to silence him.

Mary's voice came back a short while later. "She said she went to your place."

Bosco straightened up. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. That's what the man requested."

He nodded his head even if he was aware that she couldn't see him.

"Who's this guy anyway? Is she in danger?"

"It's a long story. Just pray that everything's gonna be alright. Thanks, Mary," he said as he lowered the receiver down on its hook and started to walk away.

"Boscorelli!" Swersky's authoritative voice stopped him in his tracks. "What the hell just happened here?"

"She's gone, Lieu."

"What do you mean?" The older man stared at him with the flat eyes of someone who was expecting bad news and just wanted to get it over with.

"I gotta go. Some jag-off called saying I was hurt or something and she left the hospital," he said as he headed for the front door.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"To save my partner!" he yelled, drawing a few curious stares from his fellow officers.

Swersky grabbed his arm. "Wait. Don't do anything stupid."

Bosco broke free of his superior's grasp. " Don't you get it? It's him. It's HIM! He knew we were together and... he knew that she'd come no matter what if something happened to me and I let him." He slammed his hand down on the nearby desk. "I LET him!"

"Take it easy, okay? We don't know that yet," the Lieutenant lied, trying to sound convincing. "But if it is then that's one more good reason to calm down."

He stared at the young officer in front of him. His eyes were intent, hard. He'd seen the look before, when despair and vulnerability made him hostile and self-destructive. "Do we know where she went?"

"My place," Bosco said briskly. He leaned against the wall, arms folded over his chest, hands hidden beneath his elbows so no one would see them shake.

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do. I'll call Johnson, and we'll send a couple units over."

As if on cue, the detective made his way down the stairs and approached them.

"What's going on?"

"Why don't YOU tell me, huh?" Bosco snapped, his finger stabbing the air. He was beyond caring what the consequences of his words could be now. Faith was in danger, and that was all that mattered. "What's your theory, detective? Oh wait, you don't know. You don't know anything about this case, you're just making it up as you go along!"

He raked a hand through his hair and went on, unable to stop himself. "Gather the evidence, build the case, nail the son of a bitch. Isn't that how it works?"

The man nodded his head.

"Then do something! This guy killed two cops for Christ's sake!"

Johnson stood still, his eyes wide. "We're doing everything we can, officer. And we might..."

"Well, here's what -I-'m gonna do: he lays a single hand on Faith I'm gonna kill him. I'm gonna rip his head off with my bare hands and you know what? I'm gonna feel good about it!"

"Bosco, I'm warning you..." Swersky said seriously.

"Will you let me finish?" Johnson had to raise his voice to get the men's attention.

"What?" Bosco asked, glaring at him. Swersky put his hands on his hips and turned to face him.

"We found an abandoned car two blocks from Officer Yokas' apartment building. There was a box with a single red rose inside, pictures that match the one she found in her bedroom, a city map with a sector circled in red and a time, 10pm written on it and a .22 which turned out to be Miller's service gun." He took a deep breath and braced himself for the questions he knew were coming.

"When?" the Lieutenant asked.

"Half an hour ago. They just told me."

"How do we know it's the same guy?"

"We hope. They're dusting the car and the box for fingerprints." He paused and glanced at the clock. "And we got 15 minutes to reach the location marked on that map."

"Maybe that's where he plans to bring her." Swersky reasoned.

"Fine. You check the address, I'll drive to my place," Bosco said harshly, pulling his car keys out of his jacket pocket.

"That might not be..."

"Look, I'm not gonna sit and wait while my partner's in the hands of a lunatic. I won't." He shook his head and stormed outside before any of the two bewildered men he left behind had a chance to stop him.

--

It was dark.

Faith closed the door behind her and squinted her eyes, trying to peer into the thick obscurity that had gathered into the small apartment, but it didn't do her any good.

The room was bathed in silence and for one, long second, she stood frozen in place, then pushing her fears aside she swallowed hard and slowly inched forward.

Bosco's place wasn't really familiar to her, so even a simple task like trying to locate a light switch proved to be difficult.

She blinked, straining her eyes against the darkness, and advanced another step.

Something was blocking her path.

Heart thumping loudly, she held out one hand. A couch.

Her gaze traveled past it. Was that a window?

_The window... _she shivered, remembering the dream she'd had at the hospital.

Something was wrong. Something was about to happen and she was unable to stop it.

Then a noise sounded on the right. Faith turned her head...

TBC...


	12. Chapter twelve

Obsession (12/13)

--

A/N: Almost done. One more and it's over.

This chapter was hard to write, mainly because halfway into it, I still had NO idea about what was going to happen. Somehow I managed to get to the end of it, and I really hope it makes some sense. My original plan was to split it in two parts, but then I thought I'd be nice and post the whole thing.

Btw, thanks for your comments. I really enjoy reading them. If you've got some extra time, check the new story I'm co-writing with seattlegirl, "Beyond Repair". I'd LOVE to hear what you think about that too. :)

--   
Chapter twelve  
-- 

Faith turned her head just as light exploded in the room, temporarily blinding her.

She squeezed her eyes shut and unconsciously shrank back against the concrete wall, dropping her purse to the ground.

"Bosco?" she called again, though her instincts were screaming at her to get the hell away from the place.

"Sorry darling, but this is a private party. Your friend's not invited." 

The voice was soft, yet somehow sinister, and she felt her stomach turning as a wave of nausea washed over her.

She brought one hand up to shield herself from the blinding light and looked at the man standing before her. The man who'd made her life a living hell. He was dressed in khakis and a blue button-down shirt, with a baseball cap that covered most of his face.

_This is it, _she thought. One way or another, it would be over soon. _Bosco, I'm sorry... _

"What is it, honey? Are you all right?"

All at once, the voice clicked with a name. Her eyes widened. Her features paled. "Ch-Charlie?"

The corner of his lips curved into a smile. "Guilty," he said as he raised his head and stared back at her.

His gaze was soft but penetrating, and she found herself shivering again. 

"Charlie, what are you doing here? I saw your picture on the news, they said they found your... oh my God..." she gasped as realization suddenly dawned on her. "The call at the hospital... it was you."

He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes was the answer she needed. It couldn't be. Charlie was her high-school sweetheart, not a cold-blooded killer. "You... you killed her?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter now, does it? Either way, the bitch got what she deserved."

"W-what are you doing here?" she asked again.

"What, you're not happy to see me?" he replied, taking a step forward. "You know, I've been waiting for this since the night we met four years ago."

She looked around, trying to locate something even remotely resembling a weapon. Distract him, she told herself as she eyed the lamp on the end table a couple inches from her.

"What do you want?"

His smile broadened. "You, my love. And now that you're here, it's gonna be forever."

Faith could hear the amplified pounding of her heart inside her chest and had the sudden urge to double over and throw up.

In all her years as a police officer, she'd never had to deal with something like this. A man whose obsession had led him to insanity, whose false beliefs had caused the deaths of innocent people. 

"Charlie, where is Bosco?"

"He's not here," he answered coldly. "And I wish you'd stop worrying about him."

"I just..."

"WHAT?" he screamed as his eyes narrowed and the smile left his face. "You don't need him! I'm here now, and we're gonna be together." 

Seeing her jump at his sudden outburst, he took a deep breath to try and relieve some of the pressure building inside. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Forget about it, okay? He's in the past now. We've got a whole life ahead of us."

Faith watched him advance another step and slowly moved toward the table. _Keep him talking, _she reasoned. _Play his game._

"So all those gifts, the roses. It was you. Sixteen... why?"

His features softened. "To make amends. One for every year we spent away from each other."

_God please help me, _she prayed. _This guy's sick._

"And the dress..."

"All the best for my girl. I bet Freddie never bought you something like that."

Her hand traveled against the wall. "No."

"Then it's a good thing you finally left him. You know, I've never liked him. Football players usually aren't the smartest guys, and he proved it the day he filed for divorce."

She nodded, wondering how long he'd been following her to know that many details about her private life.

"Come on, we gotta go." His voice broke her away from her thoughts. He'd almost crossed the distance between them and was now standing just a few feet from her.

"Go? Where?"

"Away. I got a car outside."

Fear coursed through her body. "What? Charlie, I... I can't just leave. My kids... they need their mother." Her fingers brushed the edge of the end table.

He stilled for a moment as his mind registered the words. He hadn't thought about that. Sure it would be nice to have a family, but traveling with children would be too dangerous, not to mention that it would considerably slow them down.

"We can't," he finally said, a sympathetic look in his eyes. "I'm sorry. Not now."

"Please..." 

"Don't worry. Fred's gonna take good care of them," he reasoned, holding one hand out toward her. "And I'm sure in the future we can arrange to have some kids of our own..." Once again, the corners of his mouth turned into a smile.

Faith felt tears well up in her eyes but she blinked them back, refusing to show any weakness. She needed to do something. Whatever plan his twisted mind had come up with, she had to stop it. She couldn't leave without knowing what had happened to Bosco.

Her gaze went longingly to the lamp, so visible yet so out of reach. "Charlie, why don't we sit down and discuss this? We can try and..."

He shook his head, his composure beginning to slip. "There's no time. You're coming with me. Now."

Faith realized this was her last chance. If she was going to die then she'd better die fighting rather than passively accepting her fate.

With a swift move, she managed to knock over the lamp from the table. Grabbing its base, she aimed it at his head but he moved, and it just grazed his arm instead of the intended target.

The object fell to the ground with a loud clatter as she ran for the door.

Charlie stumbled backward but was quick to recover and went after her. She felt a force slam into her from behind and cried out in pain as her body was pinned to the wall.

"Shut up!" he yelled, his weight crushing her. "What is wrong with you?"

The concrete was harsh against her cheek, just like it had been in her dream. "Charlie, you're hurting me..." she whispered as tears finally spilled over.

"Don't you understand?" he went on, ignoring her plea. "I did it all for you! I thought we had something special!" His breath was hot against her ear. "I did it for you..."

Faith felt a surge of rage flood over her. "But I didn't ask for it!" she screamed as she twisted her body, managing to turn around and face him. She wanted to hurt this man. Even in pain, even in danger, she wanted to fight him. "I never asked you to kill those cops, to murder your wife! You did that on your own!"

"I HAD to! They wouldn't let me get near you, just like your partner. And Deb, she... she laughed at me when I told her that I loved you, thought I was a fool. Love is not a joke. I had to teach her..." His voice trailed off and for a moment a wave of sadness replaced the dangerous glint in his eyes.

Faith raised her head and stared right at him. "Charlie, look at me. Where's Bosco? What did you do to him?"

His gaze lit with fury again at the sound of the other man's name. "Why is it so important, huh?"

"I..." _Think, Faith, think. _"I just wanna make sure he's not following us."

Charlie's confused look told her he'd completely believed her lie.

"He... he thinks he loves me, and I'm afraid he's gonna try something." 

"I knew it," he said, nodding his head. "The way he looked at you, I was sure of it. Don't worry, I left your friends something that'll keep them busy for a while. We're free to go."

Faith was barely able to contain the sense of relief she felt at the news that her best friend was still alive. If Bosco was okay, he would find a way to help her. The thought gave her enough hope to concentrate on fighting the man.

Then all of a sudden, the loud shrill of the phone ringing broke the silence, startling them both.

--

Bosco made the drive to his place in less than ten minutes, ignoring speed limits and rules of the road as his feet lowered farther toward the gas and the blue Mustang shot forward into the city streets.

His mind was focused solely on Faith. Every other feeling, guilt included, had been pushed aside. There would be plenty of time to deal with it later.

He finally reached the building and whipped his car sideways onto the curb just as the cell phone that had somehow slipped into the backseat during his last drive started to ring. Slamming on the brakes, he pressed the device to his ear. "Faith?"

"I got a name!" Detective Johnson triumphantly announced on the other end of the line.

"Who?" 

"They found a good print on that pic you brought in and ran it through the database. We've got a match." There was a moment of silence. "Our suspect's one Charles Green from Bayside, Queens."

Bosco smacked the steering wheel with the palm of his hand, then blew out an exasperated sigh. "Son of a bitch!"

"What, you know him?"

"Jag-off went to school with her. I met him a couple years ago but I would've never... wait, New Jersey PD's put an APB on him in connection with his ex-wife's murder," he explained as he reached for the door handle.

"Thanks, I'll give them a call. Where are you?"

"On my way upstairs."

"You find something you let me know, okay? I promise I'll do the same. We're still keeping that sector under surveillance."

"Sure." 

His finger clicked the 'end' button then frantically dialed his own number as he raced inside, hoping against hope that his partner, safe and unharmed, would pick up.

--

Charlie turned around, trying to locate the source of the noise and momentarily loosening his grip on Faith. She took advantage of the situation and shoved him as hard as she could, freeing herself from his grasp and rushing to the phone.

Something flared in the man's dark eyes. Anger. Hurt. Disappointment. It was hard to tell. Once again, he regained his balance and in a matter of seconds was at her side, yanking the phone out of his socket and smashing it against the opposite wall before she had a chance to answer it.

The room was small and offered no escape, but she was still determined to fight.

Toppling the coffee table over so it would stand as a barrier between them, she frantically reached for the door, but soon felt a grasp around her neck and a weight on her back.

"No!" she cried as they both went down hard.

"fck!" Charlie smacked her across the face as his legs straddled her body. "fck, fck, fck!"

Pain immediately exploded in her cheekbone, but that didn't stop her hands from flailing wildly, desperately trying to hit him.

The man's right hand curled around her throat and he started to squeeze. 

"I'm sorry..." she whispered as her lungs burned and she gasped for breath.

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't help!"

Faith's heart was beating so loud that she could hear it over the man's voice. Her world started to spin, but she forced her eyes open. When they focused on the blurry shape of a gun, she stopped moving and realized everything was over.

-- 

Bosco shut his phone and scrambled up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him. Something was very wrong. He could feel it.

His mind was going equally fast, trying to remember any useful detail about Charles Green. But as frustrating as it was, he couldn't find anything.

The man he'd met years before was everything but dangerous. He'd even encouraged her to take him up on his offer to meet after the shift. Nothing could've prepared him for the news that he was the stalker that they'd been looking for.

The hallway was silent as he walked through it, the rhythm of his heartbeat matching the seconds as they came and went. He reached for the gun at the back of his waistband and prayed to whoever God was in charge that Faith was still alive.

As soon as he neared his door, he thought he heard voices inside. Adjusting his grip on the gun he leaned forward, straining to hear even the smallest sound.

There was movement, then a noise, like something crashed to the ground. Finally, a man's voice. He sounded angry and upset.

Against his better judgment and every ounce of police training that advised not to let his presence known, he called his partner's name.

Every noise in the apartment stopped. Then after a moment, another voice. 

"Bosco, help me!"

That was all he needed to hear.

Taking a step back, he raised his foot and kicked the door open. Weapon drawn, he stepped inside and stared, eyes wide, at the scene in front of him as an eerie silence took over the room and time seemed to stand still.

The living room was a mess: the table had been turned over, the couch moved from its original place. The scattered remains of what had once been his phone lay on the floor amongst other pieces of plastic and metal.

Faith was on the ground, unable to talk or move as one of the man's hands covered her mouth and his body was holding her down.

Her terrified gaze met his, and just like it had happened thousands times in the past, their eyes asked questions and found answers, both of them conveying in that simple act all their deepest emotions.

"Get off her!" Bosco yelled, unable to contain the anger in his voice. 

Charlie shook his head. "You know officer, Faith and I were doing just fine until you came."

"Yeah, she looks like she was having a real blast," he replied, aiming the gun at the man's head.

Faith shifted her weight to get Bosco's attention. She could feel Charlie's gun pressed against her ribcage and desperately tried to warn him. 

"Leave her alone!" Bosco spoke again, his patience wearing thinner by the second.

Charlie sighed. Plain hostility had always bored him. "You have a definite problem with authority, don't you?" A sadistic smile curved his lips. "Well guess what, Boscorelli. You're not the one running this show."

His left hand suddenly appeared from under him, holding a gun. "I am." Her pressed it against Faith's temple. "Now YOU drop your weapon." 

Bosco flinched at the sight of the gun pointed at his partner's head and immediately did as instructed, slowly lowering his own to the ground and kicking it a few feet away.

"Good. Now put your hands up."

Satisfied that he wasn't a threat anymore, Charlie moved away from Faith and rose to his feet. "What do you say, honey? Should I kill him, or just make sure he doesn't get in the way?"

In truth, it wasn't a real question, for he'd already planned to kill him before they left the place.

Faith sat up and gave Bosco an apologetic look. "There's no need to kill him. He... he's not gonna say anything." She touched Charlie's arm. "Come on, you said we needed to go."

Bosco's gaze never left her side as he wondered what to do. Attacking the man without a weapon could result in both of them getting hurt or worse, killed, so it was definitely out of question. What he needed was a diversion. Have Faith distract him long enough for him to reach for the gun in his ankle holster.

He searched her eyes again, then lowered his own to his right leg to try and communicate his message.

She gave him a slight nod and swallowed hard. Her hand cupped the man's cheek. "Come on, it's getting late. Don't worry about Bosco, I can promise you he's not gonna be a problem."

Charlie put his hand on top of hers, enjoying for a moment the feeling of her fingers against his skin. "My girl..." he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her. "I've waited for this long enough..."

Then without any warning, he grabbed her arm and twisted it painfully behind her back. "Too bad I don't believe you!"

At almost the same time, he caught a slight movement out of the corner of his eye and quickly turned around, firing a shot.

"BOSCO!" Faith screamed as she watched her friend's body sag to the floor. 

She broke loose of Charlie's grasp and pulled herself across the hardwood floor to retrieve Bosco's gun.

"Don't come any closer or I'll shoot you!" she warned as she stood up again, her finger itching on the trigger. The man's gun had fallen to the ground during the fight.

"Do it," he challenged her.

"I'm serious, Charlie. Don't move."

He ignored her and took a step forward. "I'm not going to prison, I've got the best lawyers around. And even if I do, I'll be out soon and I'll come back..."

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

"Charlie, you need help..."

"No! I need you... to listen to me!"

"I just want you to..."

"Shut the fck up!" he shouted, throwing his arms out in frustration. "Why don't you understand? We're supposed to be together! That night at the prom, I realized you were my soul mate. But I was afraid at first, and that's why I planned that trip to Europe after we graduated. I needed to clear my head."

He ran a hand over his face. "I didn't expect to find you married when I got back but it hurt. It hurt real bad 'cause it was my fault, and I could do nothing about it. So I got married, but it wasn't what I wanted. Deb... she just wasn't you."

Faith listened to his words, her gun still trained on him.

"Then we met, and I felt that old sparkle again. After that night, I couldn't stop thinking about you. My life was empty. I was empty." 

He was standing right in front of her, blocking her view of Bosco. Her heart ached for him, but right now she needed to focus on Charlie. 

"I love you. And I'm not going back to my old life so you'd better kill me now 'cause I swear to God I'll be back soon and you're gonna be mine... Or maybe I should pay a visit to your beautiful daughter, what do you think?" he finished with an evil grin.

Faith's eyes widened in fear. "Son of a bitch! You leave Emily out of this, you hear me?"

His hand disappeared into his jacket pocket as he kept staring at her, a smile plastered on his face. "You're not going to kill me. The girl I fell in love with in high school would never be able to do it." 

Faith watched his arm move slowly. "You're wrong. I'm not the same girl anymore."

Then without hesitation, she squeezed the trigger.

Two shots rang out, and the man fell flat on the floor as a picture fluttered in the air for a few moments before coming to rest on the ground next to him.

She jumped, startled by the second shot, and looked up to see Bosco leaning against the wall, his gun still aimed at the dead suspect. 

Her shaky fingers released the grip on her own weapon and she lowered it to the floor, then pulled herself unsteadily to her feet and staggered across the room.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. It's just a flesh wound," he replied, showing her the place where the bullet had grazed his arm.

"I thought he had another gun."

"So did I."

"Bos..." she began, but that was all she managed to say. As she nervously bit her lower lip, her shoulders started to shake and finally, she began to cry. Hot tears streamed down both her cheeks but she didn't care. She wasn't afraid to expose her fears to him anymore.

Bosco put his good arm around her and pulled her close.

"I'm sorry..." Her voice was muffled against his chest.

"It's okay," he said gently as the sound of a siren filled the air. "It's over."

Faith wiped her eyes but didn't move.

He wouldn't let her go until she was ready.

TBC...


	13. Chapter thirteen

Obsession (13/13)

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A/N: That's it, guys. Story's over. I'd like to thank you all once again for sticking around and providing such amazing feedback. You're the best.

Stay tuned for further updates on my latest fic, "Beyond Repair", and for whatever will come out if my twisted mind next... lol

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Epilogue   
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Bosco slumped down on the couch and sighed in defeat. "I'm beat. Please tell me we're done for the night." He stretched his legs in front of him and rested his head back against the cushions.

It had been almost 24 hours since the shooting, but it was still hard to walk around his apartment without seeing Faith's terrified face or Charlie's body sprawled on the ground next to his television set. 

His left arm was in a sling though it didn't hurt anymore. The wound had requested a couple of stitches and the occasional dose of painkillers he'd become all too familiar with; the whole ordeal had given him new thoughts he could torture himself with in the middle of the night. 

_If I'd just moved faster, thought smarter, fought harder..._

"Yeah. Pizza should be here soon." Faith replied as she sat down beside him and perched one foot on the brand-new coffee table. Well it wasn't exactly new, but after all that had happened she hadn't thought twice before loading the one she owned on Fred's truck and showing up at his doorstep to help him clear the mess.

It wasn't like anyone was going to complain after all. She was the only one living in the place.

"That table's not staying," he informed her, eyes still closed.

"Oh, come on Bos, we already talked about this."

"You talked about this, Faith, I just listened. What was I supposed to do, send you back home with that thing on your shoulders?"

She smiled, just as he'd hoped she would, then got up from the couch and walked over to the window.

Silence stretched for a moment or two as she leaned against its frame and stared off into the distance. Bosco sensed the change in her mood and closed his eyes again, running a hand through his hair as he patiently waited for her to say whatever it was that was bothering her.

"He said he loved me," she finally whispered, staring at the old picture of her prom night she'd pulled out of her pocket.

Charlie had one arm proudly wrapped around her waist while she smiled shyly at the camera in her beautiful lilac dress. One of the rare moments in the Mitchell's family when her father had bothered to get up from his favourite sofa for a reason other than to grab a new bottle of booze.

She couldn't remember giving it to him, but it surprised her that he still had it.

"Love is a complex feeling, you know," he admitted in a hushed voice. "People spend most of their lives trying to understand it."

"I can't..." her voice trailed off. She cleared her throat and tried again. "That woman would still be alive if it wasn't for me." 

Bosco uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. "Faith, don't. Not again. It's not your fault and you know it."

She nodded unconvincingly and watched the rain flow down the road like a river.

No matter how many times he'd told her that, she still felt responsible for the loss of those three lives. In a twisted kind of way, seeing Charlie had also brought back memories of what her life had been, and though she tried to suffocate the feeling and deny that it was true, she realized that she'd missed him.

She'd missed the guy who waited for her every day after school just to walk her home, who stood at the bottom of the stairs, eyes wide with surprise as she hesitantly made her way down, who'd kissed her under her parents' porch on a clear summer night. One night that now seemed a million miles away.

She was sad for whatever had caused the death of that man and had replaced him with another one she barely recognized.

The thought that he was the one behind it all had never crossed her mind, not once as she read the notes he'd sent or held his gifts in her trembling hands. It wasn't his face she'd pictured as she lay awake at night or checked the bolts on every window. Did that make her a bad cop?

The question remained unanswered.

Faith turned her head and looked at Bosco. If anything good had come out of this, it had been the rebirth of their friendship and the consolidation of their loyalty to one another. Against all odds, 55-David was back.

"Penny for your thought," he said as he motioned for her to sit down again.

She gave him a small smile and walked over to him, lowering herself onto the couch. "I was just thinking I'm glad we worked things out." 

Bosco lowered his gaze. "Yeah. When you told me to go away... I thought it was forever. Thank you. For coming to me that night."

"Thanks for helping me out," she replied.

He shrugged. "I think you did perfectly fine by yourself."

"Then thank you for caring."

"Yeah, well apparently there's someone else who cared about you and me enough to send a squad here."

Faith nodded. A few minutes after the shootout, Sully and Davis had showed up at Bosco's apartment. Sensing that the abandoned car and the location marked on the map had been a set-up to lure the police away from the real scene, Swersky had told them to check on Bosco and make sure he got all the help he needed.

In the gray Ford Charlie'd planned to use to leave the city, they'd found a laptop that had probably helped him find Bosco's address, and the cell phone that he' d used to make the call to the hospital. 

Detective Johnson had shaken Faith's hand and apologized for not figuring the whole thing out in time. His excuses had seemed genuine, and in the general relief that had followed the news that the case had been closed and the suspect had been killed, they'd all agreed to forget about the past and every old misunderstanding.

"So, what did Fred say?" Bosco asked, changing the subject.

Faith chuckled. "He wants the truck by nine."

"Figures." 

"He said he had no idea that Charlie felt that way about me. I guess in high school he was too busy telling everyone I was his girlfriend to really pay attention to what was going on around him."

"Can't say that I blame him," he shrugged again.

Faith raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He grinned. "Well, I mean, with a girl like you, I'd be pretty damn proud too."

His words struck her, and she gazed at him in surprise. Was it a joke, or had he actually complimented her?

The answer she found in his eyes made all her doubts disappear. "Thanks, Bos," she said as she put one hand on top of his. "That's one of the nicest things you've ever told me."

"You're welcome." He looked away from her and smiled to himself.

"What?" 

"Nothing." 

"Bosco?" she asked again, an inquiring tone in her voice.

"This just reminded me of a song, you know?"

"Yeah? What song?"

He kept smiling, unable to meet her gaze. "An old song."

Faith slapped him playfully on the arm. "Come on! You wanna tell me about it or do I have to beg you?"

"Okay, but don't tell me I didn't warn you." Bosco smirked at her and started singing. "If I had a girl and she was mine..."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please... Daddy's song again?"

"Hey, it's a beautiful song!" he said, pretending to be hurt. "Even Davis agreed to it."

"Whatever." 

There was a moment of silence as they both leaned back on the couch. 

"Faith?" 

"Yeah." 

"How are you?"

She turned to look at him. "I'm alive."

THE END


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